Thursday, February 09, 2012

[Guinean news] Top govt official charged in 2009 stadium massacre

A Guinean court has charged a top government official for his alleged role in the infamous September 28, 2009 massacre at Conakry's main sports stadium. Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, the current secretary of state in charge of fighting organized crime, faces accusations over the killing of scores of protesters and mass rape of women; he was head of presidential guard at the time. More than 150 people were killed and over 100 women raped, according to Human Rights Watch, and the massacre galvanized opposition to military rule which eventually led to democratic elections in 2010. Observers view it as significant that the case was seized by the Guinean domestic justice system rather than the International Criminal Court.