Amnesty International has urged Guinea’s authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into a stadium crush that claimed dozens of lives earlier this month.
The tragedy occurred on December 1 in N’Zerekore, Guinea’s second-largest city, after a disputed refereeing decision triggered a pitch invasion and the use of tear gas by security forces, witnesses reported. The match was organised to honour junta leader General Mamady Doumbouya.
The government has set the provisional death toll at 56, but local rights groups estimate 135 fatalities, with 50 people still missing. Amnesty criticised the junta’s handling of the aftermath, including restrictions on internet access in the city and a warning against spreading unverified information.
“The Guinean authorities must ensure that an independent and impartial investigation into the causes of the deaths is carried out, as they have committed to do, and guarantee the right to freedom of expression,” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty’s regional director for West and Central Africa.
Guinea’s junta, which seized power in 2021, has faced growing criticism for its crackdown on dissent and freedom of speech. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah attributed the tragedy to “poor governance and refereeing,” while Justice Minister Yaya Kairaba Kaba announced investigations to identify those responsible.
