Lisbon, Dec. 23, 2025 (Lusa) - The Guinea-Bissau Rights House Consortium on Tuesday denounced the expulsion and illegal blockade of the institution's employees by the police, as well as the invasion of its premises and the assault of two members on Monday.
In a statement accessed by the Lusa news agency, the Guinea-Bissau civil society organisation said that Public Order Police officers from the First Police Station returned to the institution's headquarters on Tuesday, expelled the employees and imposed an illegal blockade on access to the premises.
This action took place one day after a first invasion by the Rapid Intervention Police.
According to Casa dos Direitos, during Monday's operation, "two employees of the Guinea-Bissau Human Rights League were arbitrarily detained, taken to the ministry of the interior and violently beaten".
The organisation stressed that these acts of violence "were deliberately filmed" and constitute "serious violations of human rights and human dignity".
This attack by the Guinea-Bissau authorities, which took place after "a peaceful and legitimate vigil (...) with the aim of demanding the immediate release of all political prisoners", resulted in two victims who "suffered physical injuries, including multiple bruises and contusions".
"This unacceptable act constitutes a direct affront to the rule of law, democracy and the very existence of the House of Rights," reads the statement, which classifies the intervention as "unprecedented institutional violence".
The House of Rights condemns these acts, which it considers "illegal, arbitrary and repressive," and demands the "immediate and unconditional withdrawal" of security forces from its institutions and holds the authorities responsible for any physical, psychological or material damage caused to its members.
In the statement, the consortium also guarantees that the organisation will continue its mission to defend fundamental freedoms and democratic legality.
Guinea-Bissau was the scene of another coup d'état on 26 November, three days after the general elections - presidential and legislative - which had taken place without incident, and on the eve of the announcement of the official results, with the seizure of power by the Military High Command, which appointed the transitional President, General Horta Inta-A.
The general announced that the transition period would last for a maximum of one year and appointed Ilídio Vieira Té, former minister of the deposed president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, as prime minister and minister of finance. A new transitional government was sworn in, with names from the deposed executive and five military personnel among the 23 ministers and five secretaries of state.
The country has been suspended from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), an organisation in which it held the rotating presidency.
The opposition and international figures have claimed that the coup was staged by Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who allegedly lost at the polls, thus preventing the results from being released and arbitrarily arresting several figures who supported the candidate claiming victory, Fernando Dias.
Among those detained is Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the historic African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC).
*** The Lusa agency's delegation in Guinea-Bissau has been suspended since August following the government's expulsion of representatives of the Portuguese media. Coverage is being provided remotely ***
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