By Desmond Lewis
Freetown, Sierra Leone – May 8, 2025 – Amnesty International has officially launched its 2025 annual report, assessing human rights developments across more than 130 countries. The event took place at the CCSL Hall in Freetown, with key stakeholders, activists, and government representatives in attendance.
Providing an overview of the report, Solomon Sogbandi, Director of Amnesty International Sierra Leone, outlined major global trends, including armed conflicts, repression of dissent, discrimination, and economic and climate injustice. He also highlighted concerns specific to Sierra Leone, such as treason charges that have resulted in sentences ranging from ten years to over a hundred years. He noted the elimination of jury trials, charges levied against the former president, and the continued prevalence of female genital mutilation as critical women’s rights issues in the country.
Sogbandi further underscored developments on the international stage, referencing the role of the UN Security Council in conflict zones including Gaza, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other parts of Africa.
Delivering the keynote address before officially launching the report, Commissioner Hassan Samba Yarjah of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) commended Amnesty International’s global commitment to development and justice. He highlighted government efforts to improve human rights protections, citing the prohibition of child marriage and updates to the Criminal Procedure Act as positive steps forward.
Executive Director of Human Rights Defenders, Alphonso B. M. Gbanie, pointed to pressing human rights violations including enforced disappearances, discrimination, excessive use of force by security personnel, and environmental rights concerns.
Abdulai Sheriff Esq. of ShangriLa Firm, discussed the right to peaceful protest, emphasizing protections outlined in international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the European Convention on Human Rights. He noted that Section 26 of Sierra Leone’s Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, with procedural requirements set out in the Public Order Act.
Victor Bawoh addressed the impact of drugs on human rights. He called on the government to shift its approach from punitive measures to care-based interventions, arguing that while victims suffer, perpetrators who introduce drugs into communities often evade justice.
Board Chair of Amnesty International Sierra Leone, Dominic Tommy, expressed gratitude to both the international and regional secretariats for compiling the report. He emphasized its future significance as a tool for human rights advocacy in Sierra Leone.
Tommy outlined key human rights advancements in the country, including improvements in maternal mortality rates, the abolition of the death penalty, and the repeal of the Public Order Act. He encouraged human rights defenders to persist in their efforts, stating that the fight for justice must continue.