Guinea’s transitional president, General Mamadi Doumbouya, has issued a presidential pardon to former military leader Moussa Dadis Camara, just nine months after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity. The decree, announced on national television Friday, cited health reasons for Camara’s release and tasked the Minister of Justice with its immediate execution.
Camara was convicted in July 2023 for his role in the September 28, 2009, massacre, where security forces brutally repressed anti-regime protesters in Conakry’s main stadium, killing over 150 people and sexually assaulting dozens of women. The violent crackdown came as Camara, then head of Guinea’s military junta, faced growing opposition to his presidential ambitions.
The pardon is being framed as part of Guinea’s national reconciliation efforts under Doumbouya’s leadership. However, the move is likely to stir controversy, with human rights groups and victims’ families demanding justice and accountability for past atrocities.
Observers say the decision could deepen existing political tensions in Guinea, where the military-led transitional government is already facing scrutiny over its commitment to democratic reforms.
