Guinea-Bissau groups demand political prisoner release
Organisations sent a manifesto to ECOWAS mediators calling for democratic freedoms and an end to detentions.
Political and civic groups in Guinea-Bissau demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners on October 23, 2026. The groups, part of the Frente Única and the Rede Internacional de Solidariedade com a Guiné-Bissau, asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to intervene. They stated that continued detention contradicts court decisions.
The manifesto, delivered to ECOWAS mediators in Dakar and Senegalese embassies in five cities including Bissau, also called for the full restoration of fundamental freedoms and political activities. It specifically requested the reopening of political party headquarters and the lifting of restrictions on civil society and media organisations. The groups expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of impartiality from the Senegalese mediation, accusing it of being too close to the current government.
Signatories include API-Cabas Garandi, PAIGC, and UNTG-CS, along with international solidarity groups. They urged ECOWAS to engage with the military command to restore constitutional order, respecting the popular vote from November 2025. The document also proposed individual sanctions against those obstructing the restoration of constitutional normality.
Why it mattersPolitical and civic groups in Guinea-Bissau are demanding the release of political prisoners and the restoration of democratic freedoms.