Guinea: Protester killed in Conakry October 16 /update 1

Event

Security forces shot and killed a demonstrator during a ville morte protest in the Ratoma suburb of Conakry on Tuesday, October 16. The protest was reportedly organized to protest the government of President Alpha Condé and to denounce that officials elected in local elections on February 4 have not yet been placed into government office. Following the shooting, protesters hurled stones at police, who responded by firing teargas at the protesters. As of Tuesday evening (local time), protests and police crackdowns have reportedly dissipated.

Members of the Guinean political opposition are planning to stage a related protest march along the N1 (Fidel Castro) highway from the Tannerie roundabout to the Stade du 28 Septembre on Thursday, October 18. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are to be expected around the October 18 march route. Additional protests are likely in Conakry and other urban areas in the near-term.

Context

October 16 was the second straight day of the ville morte protests. Opposition members have claimed that massive electoral fraud was carried out by the ruling party during the February local elections and have organized both the ville morte protests on October 15 and 16 and the planned march on October 18.

President Alpha Condé's Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) won the majority of the votes in the February local elections, followed in the vote count by former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo's Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) and a second opposition party, the Union of Republican Forces (UFR). Although the RPG dominated nationwide, the party lost control of the municipal government of the capital Conakry, a major blow given that the city is home to almost a quarter of the country's population. 

Advice

Individuals in Conakry are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all demonstrations and protests due to the risk of violence, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments.