Photos of women stripped naked and humiliated, posted online

Photographs of Guineans being humiliated naked in the street during last Monday's opposition crackdown are circulating on the Net. One of our Observers says he witnessed the scene when this photo was taken.

A few days after the brutal repression in Conakry last week, several photos of women being abused by soldiers were posted on the Guinea News forum. We were sent these ghastly images but chose only to publish one, after blurring the face of the victim. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has called for an investigation in order to bring to justice "all those responsible for carrying out summary executions, rapes and other human rights violations" in what she described as a "bloodbath" at the hands of the Guinea's army.

“I saw several other women being abused by soldiers”

Lamine Camara (not his real name) works as a journalist for a Guinean radio station. He witnessed the trouble last Monday.

I covered the demonstration for my station. After the first shots, everyone starting running for their lives. It was at that point when I saw this woman, in front of one the stadium's two exits. She was pushed to the floor; a soldier was stripping her naked. I don't know what happened afterwards, we had to flee. But I saw several other women being abused by soldiers. Each time they caught one, they'd ask what she was doing there and why she was demonstrating. I've never heard of such a things happening in Guinea. It's truly shocking."   

“‘She’s not my sister; not my cousin. I’ll do as I please!’”

Nankouma, another journalist, was also at the protest. He too saw women singled out and attacked.

I saw several women being ill-treated. Once the crackle of gunfire started, everything turned to chaos. The soldiers were armed up to their teeth. Protestors tried to break down the stadium door to get out. As I rushed past the women's toilets I saw a soldier ripping off a girl's jeans. Nearby, there were five others, including one woman who looked older than 60, naked in the middle of the crowd. Another on the floor was crying and screaming, as though she had just been raped. Almost nobody did anything, because we were at the mercy of the soldiers. I saw two policemen trying to intervene. But one of the soldiers shouted ‘Why isn't she at home being a good housewife? She's not my sister; not my cousin. I'll do as I please!'" 

 

observers.france24.com