Police impunity continues in Sierra Leone: Amnesty



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The new government of Freetown has not restored rights to freedom of badembly and to prosecute police officers who killed protesters under the previous regime, Tuesday warned a group of rights activists. ;man. Solomon Sogbandi, director of Amnesty International Sierra Leone, said: "Sierra Leone's new government has a key opportunity to implement reforms that would help the police manage the protests effectively and safely, at the same time. restore peace. public confidence in the security forces, "he added.

Nine protesters were killed and 80 wounded in the last 10 years as police fired live ammunition at peaceful crowds, while Impunity was prevalent in such cases, according to the Amnesty report. "Sabrina Mahtani, a West African researcher for Amnesty, told reporters in Freetown

The party of the new president Julius Maada Bio, the People's Party of Sierra Leone (SLPP), has repeatedly accused the previous government "The corruption and indiscipline in Sierra Leone will not be maintained by my government", said Bio in May, adding that the population had little confidence in the force.

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He took office in early April after a tumultuous election campaign, ending a decade of reign by the People's Congress (PCA)

. Thirty-nine people are currently being tried after being arrested at the 2015 and 2016 protests.

"We are aware of police abuses. Emmanuel Santigie Kargbo, who heads the police complaints department, told AFP: "We are currently restructuring the police forces to avoid the unnecessary use of force against the people." [19659002] The Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission revealed that police used live ammunition at a demonstration in August 2016 in Kabala City, killing two people and wounding several others.

Others were wounded at a university near Bo in the south of the country after police fired tear gas and fired bullets at protests against a teachers' strike.

No police officers were charged. [ad_2]
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