Ban receives report from probe into deadly crackdown in Guinea

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has begun examining the report of the International Commission of Inquiry set up by the United Nations to investigate the deadly crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in Guinea in September.

Mr. Ban received the report and is “now considering” it, his spokesperson said in a statement issued today, adding that the Secretary-General will then send the report to all relevant parties, including the Guinean Government, the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the UN Security Council.

The report is based on the work of the three-member independent commission, which visited the Guinean capital, Conakry, between 25 November and 4 December. Its members are Mohamed Bedjaoui, Françoise Ngendahayo Kayiramirwa and Pramila Patten.

At least 150 demonstrators are thought to have died and many others were raped when Government forces opened fire on protesters in Conakry in 28 September, sparking condemnation from senior UN officials, including Mr. Ban and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.