Guinean authorities crack down on protest against constitutional change

Record ID: 1436641

  • Title: Guinean authorities crack down on protest against constitutional change
  • Date: 14th October 2019
  • Summary: CONAKRY, GUINEA (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS SETTING UP BARRICADES WITH TYRES ON A MAIN ROAD IN SONFONIA DISTRICT / SMOKE RISING FROM ROAD RIOT POLICE GATHERING AT OTHER END OF STREET VARIOUS OF SMOKE RISING FROM BURNING TYRES RIOT POLICE ARRIVING PROTESTERS THROWING STONES AT RIOT POLICE / RIOT POLICING RUNNING BACK TO VEHICLES AND DRIVING AWAY RIOT POLICE TALKING POLICE VEHICLE DRIVING AWAY POLICE DISMANTLING BURNING BARRICADE / BURNING TYRES POLICE ON SIDE OF ROAD MOTORBIKES AND TRUCKS DRIVING ON CLEARED ROAD / SMOKE RISING
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2019 14:02
  • Keywords: protest opposition third presidential mandate
  • Location: CONAKRY, GUINEA
  • City: CONAKRY, GUINEA
  • Country: Guinea
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B12L1DZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Riot police were deployed in force throughout Guinea's capital Conakry on Monday (October 14) to stop the opposition from protesting against the government.
    A coalition of opposition parties and non-governmental groups, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (Le Front national de la défense de la Constitution, FNDC) called the protest to block any attempt by the president to seek a third term in next year's election.
    Some of their leaders were arrested over the weekend and opposition party leaders were blocked by police from leaving their homes on Monday.
    Riot police were seen firing tear gas, while demonstrators retaliated by throwing stones.
    After a brief confrontation the police were able to clear the road.
    Other parts of the city were also in lockdown, with shops closed and roads blocked.
    Guinea is in political limbo as it awaits an announcement from President Alpha Condé about whether he will revise the constitution and run for a third term in 2020 presidential elections.
    The FNDC have said it will use "all legal means" to oppose any constitutional change.
    Human Rights Watch have condemned the repeated crackdowns on protesters.
    Guinea's ruling party, the Rally of the Guinean People Party (Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen, RPG), has publicly called for a new constitution that, Condé's supporters say, would allow for a third presidential term.
    Condé himself has not said whether he intends to run again, but on September 4 he instructed his ministers to undertake "consultations" on a new constitution.
    The opposition coalition said it would organise street protests if Condé were to push for a new text.
    (Production: Souleymane Camara, Yvonne Bell)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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