Sierra Leone: Information on harassment and/or arrests of family or wives of high-ranking officers in former President Mormoh's government
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLE15973.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sierra Leone: Information on harassment and/or arrests of family or wives of high-ranking officers in former President Mormoh's government, 1 December 1993, SLE15973.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab0857.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
An Amnesty International Report entitled Sierra Leone: Political Detainees at the Central Prison, Pademba Road, Freetown reports that "immediately after the coup, more than 50 former government ministers and officials were detained, and dozens of other people were detained in the months that followed" (21 June 1993, 2). The report states that there were 264 political detainees including nine women, at the time of their research. The report does not indicate whether the women were members of the families and/or wives of high-ranking officers. In another report Amnesty International states the following:
Also detained were people who appeared to have been detained solely because they were associated with or related to members of the former government... Six were released uncharged in November and a further six in December, including three brothers of former President Momoh, although some were immediately restricted under house arrest and forbidden from communicating with other people (1993, 255).
This report also claims that suspected rebels and their supporters were tortured and ill-treated by soldiers in the war zone, and by security police, but does not clarify whether those detained, tortured or ill-treated included the wives of high- ranking former government officials.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Amnesty International. 1993. Amnesty International Report 1993. New York: Amnesty International U.S.A.
. 21 June 1993. Sierra Leone: Political Detainees at the Central Prison, Pademba Road, Freetown. (AI Index: AFR 51/04/93). London: Amnesty International Publications.
Attachment
Amnesty International. 21 June 1993. Sierra Leone: Political Detainees at the Central Prison, Pademba Road, Freetown. (AI Index: AFR 51/04/93)
