Guinea’s junta faces protests after missing a deadline for a return to democracy Parts of Guinea's capital were on lockdown as civil society and opposition groups protested the ruling junta’s missed deadline to launch a return to democracy, with the U.S. calling for clear timelines to hold long-delayed elections.
In a statement late Monday, the Forces Vives de Guinée coalition group asked Guineans to stay indoors as a form of protest and accused the junta of holding Guinea “hostage.” It said one man was fatally shot and hundreds of mostly young people have been arrested in the latest protest.
“The United States is concerned that Guinea has not met its January 1, 2025, target date to launch its democratic transition and calls on the Guinean government to undertake a transparent and inclusive process that engages all Guineans,” it said in a statement Monday.
The U.S. State Department urged the military leaders to commit to concrete steps for the constitutional referendum and democratic elections and to involve civil society groups and political parties in the process.
Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, the junta leader in power since 2021, agreed in 2022 to launch a democratic transition after a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline.
