XII. Domestic Constituencies
Domestic constituencies that support accountability may be able to play significant roles in promoting positive progress by government authorities and judicial actors. In Guinea, two main constituencies are the victims and domestic civil society groups, although Guinean civil society remains weak and fractured after years of authoritarian rule.[187]
As discussed in Sections II and III of this report, victims of the September 28 crimes have expressed a strong desire for justice, and have officially joined the judicial process by acting as partie civile to the investigation.[188] These efforts help to create a sense that justice cannot be sidelined, and that victims will seek justice until it is delivered.
Guinean civil society has also played an important role in pressing for justice; groups have continued to publicly call for accountability, and some civil society groups are assisting victims as partie civile to the investigation.[189] However, Guinean authorities also have stymied some civil society initiatives—such as to hold a public demonstration on the second anniversary of the September 28, 2009 massacre, rapes, and other abuses.
[187] Human Rights Watch interview with international expert, Conakry, June 24, 2012. See also UNGA, “Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Guinea,” A/HRC/16/26, February 25, 2011, paras. 19, 24, 33, 38.
[188] See also UNGA, “Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Guinea,” A/HRC/19/49, January 17, 2012, para. 5; FIDH-OGDH “Guinée-Conakry 1 an après le massacre du 28 septembre 2009: nouveau pouvoir, espoir de justice?” September 2010, http://www.fidh.org/IMG//pdf/Guineedcona546fconjOGDH.pdf (accessed September 6, 2012).
[189] Human Rights Watch interview with legal practitioner, Conakry, June 23, 2012, and interview with legal practitioner, Conakry, June 19, 2012. See also UNGA, “Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Guinea,” A/HRC/19/49, January 17, 2012, para. 4.
