CONAKRY, Guinea — Parts of Guinea's capital have been on lockdown as civil society and opposition groups in the West African nation protested the ruling junta's missed deadline to launch a return to democracy, with the U.S. calling for clear timelines to hold long-delayed elections.
Meanwhile, a court jailed opposition leader Aliou Bah for two years after he was charged with ''insulting'' the junta leader following his arrest in December.
Bah, who leads the Liberal Democratic Movement, is one of the few critics of the junta who has not gone into exile as pressure grows on perceived dissent and independent media. ''It's a sad day for freedom of expression (and) a blow to Guinean democracy,'' said Bah's lawyer, Antoine Pépé Lama.
Guinea is one of several West African countries where the military has taken power and delayed a return to civilian rule. Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, in power since 2021, agreed in 2022 to launch a democratic transition after a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline.
However, the passing of that deadline came with more promises. In his New Year's message, Doumbouya said a decree for a constitutional referendum will be signed to launch the democratic process, without committing to a date. Activists and opposition groups condemned the announcement as a ploy to prolong military rule.
In a statement late Monday, the Forces Vives de Guinée coalition group asked Guineans to stay indoors as a form of protest and accused the junta of holding Guinea ''hostage.'' It said one man was fatally shot and hundreds of mostly young people were arrested in the latest protest.
Authorities did not comment Tuesday.
The U.S. State Department urged the military leaders to commit to concrete steps for the constitutional referendum and democratic elections, and to involve civil society groups and political parties in the process.
