The United States Government has announced a new visa restriction for Sierra Leoneans it described as attempting to undermine the June 2023 Presidential Election in the country, two months after the country’s presidential and legislative elections.
The U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the new visa restriction policy is under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for those involved in undermining the democratic process in the June 2023 Sierra Leone election.
In a statement issued on August 31, Mr. Blinken said “Under this policy, the United States will pursue visa restrictions for those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Sierra Leone, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; intimidation of voters, election observers, or civil society organizations through threats or acts of physical violence; or the abuse or violation of related human rights in Sierra Leone.”
According to Blinken, the visa restriction policy will apply to specific individuals and is not directed at the Sierra Leonean people, noting that this decision reflects “the commitment of the United States to support Sierra Leoneans’ aspirations to have free and fair elections that demonstrate the will of the people and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.”
He adds that family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions, and that persons who undermine the democratic process in Sierra Leone, including in the lead-up to, during, and following the June 2023 elections may be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy.
The pronouncement by the US comes as the main opposition APC insists that the elections were fraught with irregularities and some observer groups reported some violations. However, Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio’s party insists that the process was larfely representative of the will of majority of Sierra Leoneans.
The decision by the U. is coming just over a month because elections in Liberia, which are to hold on October 10th, 2023, and in which 20 candidates are vying, including incumbent President George Weah.
