Victor Idrissa Lansana Esq., the Deputy Human Rights Commissioner of Sierra Leone, in a recent radio interview, criticized the Sierra Leone Police for hastily denying a request for a peaceful assembly made by civil society activist Thomas Babadi Kamara and Wadi William among other concerned Sierra Leoneans. He emphasized that the right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in the Sierra Leone Constitution, and citizens should be allowed to exercise this right without undue hindrance.
Lansana pointed out that individuals wishing to organize peaceful assemblies must identify themselves and clearly state the venue of the assembly. He added t hat the Human Rights Commission (HRC) is aware of the detention of the two individuals following a meeting they attended with the Sierra Leone Police regarding their clearance request for the assembly.
According to Lansana, the HRC has repeatedly urged the Sierra Leone Police to adhere to due process in detaining individuals. He highlighted that in minor cases, detentions should not exceed three days, while for major offenses, the period should be limited to ten days. If there is sufficient evidence, the individuals should be charged and brought before a court of law.
The Deputy Commissioner further stressed that Thomas Babadi Kamara and his colleague should not be detained for more than three days if their offense is minor or more than ten days if deemed major, without being charged to court.
This situation arose after Thomas Babadi Kamara and the concerned Sierra Leonean submitted a formal request to the Sierra Leone Police for clearance and police presence during a planned peaceful assembly in front of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone’s office. The police denied their request and invited them to the Police Headquarters for further discussion, after which they were detained.
The Human Rights Commission has vowed to continue sensitizing the public about their rights and responsibilities, urging the authorities to respect constitutional provisions on peaceful assembly and association.
