On 12 August 2026, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Guinean Human Rights League, its President denounced the government’s decision to call a referendum on the new Constitution as “illegal” and called for the law to be respected. His position is based, among other things, on Article 9(2) of Law No. 12/2026 of 16 June, which provides for a clear separation between the timing of a referendum and elections for the country’s national or local authorities. With general elections scheduled for 6 December, the decision to hold a referendum at this time therefore raises serious questions about its legality.
The League also argued that changes to the Constitution—particularly a document that defines how the State is organised, limits government power, and protects citizens’ rights and freedoms—should not be rushed or shaped around particular individuals, interests, or short-term political circumstances.
Later that same day, the League’s President, Abubacar Turé, was publicly attacked through a fake Facebook profile using the name “Eng. Santos Pereira” and a photograph of former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The post accused Turé of acting on instructions from the PAIGC and claimed that his public statement was simply the fulfilment of those instructions. It also described him as a “small fry” and a political delinquent who was unable to distinguish partisan political convictions from the independent mission of a human rights organisation, and urged people to disregard his statements as nonsense.
The incident is consistent with a broader pattern of intimidation and public attacks against human rights defenders and civil society actors who criticise alleged unlawful or abusive actions by the authorities. Those who publicly raise such concerns are frequently subjected to personal attacks, defamation and attempts to discredit their work, rather than having their concerns addressed through legal or institutional channels.
O Referendo da Nova Constituição, uma manobra de ataques e intimidação dos defensores dos Direitos Humanos que questionam a legalidade do ato utilizando perfil falso nas plataformas digitais.