Babadie Takes On SLP

By: Kadiatu Sankoh

In a bold statement on Friday, February 21, 2025, Thomas Alie Babadie, Executive Director of the Forum of Sierra Leone Youth Network (FoSLYN), condemned what he described as “gross violations of human rights” by the Sierra Leone Police.

Addressing the press, Babadie cited key constitutional provisions and international conventions that safeguard fundamental freedoms. He referenced Chapter 3 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which guarantees personal rights, including freedom of speech, assembly, and the right to life. He also highlighted key provisions from the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, emphasizing the rights to due process, a fair trial, freedom of religion, information, association, movement, and political participation.

According to Babadie, FoSLYN had formally notified the Inspector General of Police about their plans to peacefully assemble, and had reminded the Electoral Commission of its unfulfilled promise to disclose the full Presidential Election results by constituencies. He recalled that Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenawi Konneh, had previously committed to releasing the results, yet that promise remains unfulfilled.

Instead of allowing their peaceful demonstration, Babadie alleged that the police responded with arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions. He described their experience as a “serious and dehumanizing ordeal,” stating that they were subjected to criminal investigations, detained for ten days, and denied their fundamental rights.

“We reject, in total, the label of criminals and the attempt to implicate us in committing STATE CRIME,” Babadie declared. He warned that Sierra Leone is not a police state and that citizens must not be silenced for exercising their constitutional rights.

Adding his voice to the concerns, Mohamed Konneh, a representative of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), condemned the police’s actions. He emphasized that in any democracy, the right to protest is sacred and fundamental.

“If the police continue to arbitrarily arrest citizens, Sierra Leone will not progress,” Konneh asserted.

He also criticized the government’s silence on pressing national issues, including frequent power outages, inadequate water supply, rising drug abuse, the ongoing cocaine scandal, and the arbitrary arrests of journalists.

Konneh urged citizens to express their views lawfully, while calling on the government to uphold justice, democracy, and accountability.

As the nation watches to see whether the authorities will honor their commitments or continue on this controversial path, critics warn that failure to address these concerns could undermine Sierra Leone’s hard-earned democracy.