AN investigative journalist in Guinea has reportedly been abducted by men dressed in security forces uniforms, his wife and lawyer revealed on Wednesday, further intensifying concerns about press freedom under the country’s military regime.
Habib Marouane Kamara, editor-in-chief of the online investigative platform lerevelateur224.com, was stopped on Tuesday evening in Conakry while en route to meet a businessman and a friend, according to his wife, Mariama Lamarana Diallo.
Violent abduction
Kamara’s friend, who witnessed the incident, recounted that men in a pickup truck wearing security uniforms intercepted their vehicle. ‘The policemen broke the rear windshield and forcibly dragged Kamara out,’ the friend said, adding that the attackers beat Kamara with batons until he lost consciousness. They then loaded him into their truck and drove off.
The friend was also detained briefly but later released and has since gone into hiding. A bystander corroborated the account to The Associated Press but requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation.
Kamara’s wife, visibly distressed, told reporters, ‘I am speechless,’ before breaking into tears. Kamara’s lawyer, Salifou Beavogui, confirmed that neither he nor Diallo has heard from the journalist since the abduction.
Political backdrop
Guinea has been under military rule since 2021, when Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Condé, citing government corruption and broken promises. The junta promised a transition to civilian rule but has yet to announce an election date. Legislative elections are scheduled for 2025, but the exact date remains unclear.
This year, the military regime dissolved numerous political parties and placed two major opposition groups under observation. Guinea now joins a growing list of West African nations—including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—where military juntas have delayed a return to democracy.
Mounting criticism
While Doumbouya initially promised reforms, critics argue his administration mirrors the authoritarian tendencies of his predecessor. The recent abduction of Kamara underscores concerns about the regime’s suppression of dissent and press freedom.
International watchdogs have urged Guinea’s transitional government to uphold the rights of journalists and protect press freedoms. With Kamara’s fate still unknown, his case has spotlighted the dangers faced by investigative reporters in a region grappling with political instability.
