Guinea: New protest in Conakry against Constitutional Court changes October 1 /update 1

Event

Political opposition and civil society groups are planning an additional protest on Monday, October 1, in the capital Conakry, to denounce the recent dismissal of the president of the Constitutional Court, Kéléfa Sall. A march is expected to begin at 08:00 (local time) at the Tannerie roundabout and end at the 28 Septembre Stadium, passing along Autoroute Fidel Castro and the Conakry International Airport (CKY). Given that protests are usually banned by Conakry authorities, clashes between protesters and police cannot be ruled out. Localized traffic disruptions are also anticipated along the protest route.

This follows associated protests held by the "Balai Citoyen" civil society group September 26-27. A sit-in outside the Constitutional Court on September 27 was dispersed by the security forces using tear gas.

Context

On September 9, the eight advisors to the Constitutional Court adopted a motion of no-confidence to dismiss Sall, which is allegedly unlawful. A new president is meant to be elected on September 27. The dismissal is seen by opposition and civil society groups as an attempt by the government to destabilize the country's institutions - which are already quite fragile - and give increased powers to President Alpha Condé.

Advice

Individuals in Conakry are advised to closely monitor the situation and avoid all protests due to the potential for violence.