Police opened fire and tear gas on demonstrators who had gathered outside Planète FM in response to a call from the director of the station. The director asked listeners to protect him from people who he alleged were planning to assassinate him.
One person died and 4 others sustained injuries on November 17, 2013, when police opened fire and tear gas on demonstrators who had gathered outside Planète FM – a privately-owned radio station.
According to the MFWA’s correspondent in the country, the demonstrators – who were believed to be pro-opposition – went to the radio station’s premises after Mandjan Sidibé, director-general of Planète FM, made a distress call during a programme asking listeners to come to his aid.
The correspondent reported that Sidibé told listeners there were unknown persons on motorbikes at the building in which the radio station is located and they were “getting ready to assassinate” him.
Soon after the announcement, youth trooped to the premises of the radio station to “protect” Sidibé. The police later went to the scene and used tear gas and live bullets to disperse the demonstrators. This resulted in the death of one person and four others injured.
Authorities have however debunked Sidibé’s allegation and accused him of inciting people to violence and that the incident will be investigated.
The MFWA is concerned about the seeming lack of tolerance by the Guinean police force whenever citizens attempt to exercise their right to assemble or demonstrate.
