After Hearing Accused, Victims Take the Stand
This week, the first major phase of the landmark domestic trial of crimes committed during Guinea‘s 2009 stadium massacre concluded.
The trial – taking place before a three-judge panel in the capital, Conakry – examines one of the most brutal incidents in Guinea’s history. On September 28, 2009, Guinean security forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators during a pro-democracy rally, leaving more than 150 dead. Security forces raped and gang raped more than 100 women, some pulled from hiding places. Human Rights Watch investigations found that security forces engaged in a coverup of the crimes, sealing off entrances to the stadium and morgues and moving bodies to mass graves.
The long-delayed trial commenced on September 28, 2022, the 13th anniversary of the massacre, with 11 accused – among them former ministers and a former president – entering the court and pleading not guilty. Victims and their families present at the hearing looked on from the gallery while others closely followed the proceedings on television. read more
