A court in Guinea has sentenced two critics of President Alpha Conde to a year in jail for inciting an insurrection, as rights groups fear a crackdown on the opposition.
The critics – Souleymane Condé and Youssouf Dioubaté who are members of the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC) – were also fined 20m Guinean francs each.
The duo were arrested during pre-election demonstrations in the West African country in September 2020 and accused of producing, disseminating and making available data likely to disturb public order and security.
The protests were held against President Alpha Condé’s bid for a third term.
The prosecutor said the pair had called for the arrest of President Condé and had accused the authorities of murdering children.
The defendants denied making such statements.
Condé and Dioubate had already spent four months in prison. Their lawyers said they will appeal against the verdict.
A third man, Roger Bamba, who was arrested with them, died in pre-trial detention.
Guinea’s government has said Bamba died after an illness, but his family insists he was poisoned and has accused the government of committing a “state crime”.
82-year-old Condé won a third presidential term in a fiercely contested election on October 18.
He ran after pushing through a new constitution in March last year, which allowed him to bypass the country’s two-term limit, sparking mass protests.
Dozens of people have been killed in protests, often in clashes with security forces.