GOG RELEASES YOUTH PROTESTORS FROM PRISON

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000691 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ASEC PGOV GV SUBJECT: GOG RELEASES YOUTH PROTESTORS FROM PRISON REF: A. CONAKRY 0663 ¶B. CONAKRY 0668 ¶C. CONAKRY 0670 ¶D. CONAKRY 0675 ¶E. CONAKRY 0678 ¶1. (SBU) According to a local prisoner advocacy NGO, the Guinean police arrested approximately 100 youth protestors last week during a series of civil disturbances (reftels). These detainees were transferred from detention centers across the city to the Conakry Central Prison on November 7. Contact said that many of the detainees had been severely beaten and were hungry because they had not been fed for some time. She added that 29 of the detainees had fallen ill and were treated at the NGO's medical facility located at the prison. ¶2. (SBU) Contact reported that the GoG released 89 of the detainees over the weekend. She said that many of those released are related to military personnel who intervened on their behalf. Another NGO contact reported that there are still about a dozen detainees being held. ¶3. (SBU) Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report on November 7 urging the Guinean Government to ensure that security forces use restraint in responding to street protests. HRW cited independent interviews with witnesses who claimed that security forces opened fire directly on protestors in order to disperse them. HRW adds that security forces also detained and beat numerous protestors, and robbed ordinary residents living within the affected neighborhoods. ¶4. (SBU) Embassy contacts and media reports indicate that four people were killed during last week's violence. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Multiple sources have reported that security forces were severely beating protestors during last week's civil demonstrations. However, available information suggests that unlike in the past, security forces generally avoided firing directly at protestors. The casualty count suggests that security forces were relatively restrained by Guinean standards, albeit not by U.S. standards. END COMMENT. RASPOLIC