An Urgent Appeal for the Rule of Law and Peace!

Since the announcement of the alleged military coup on November 26, 2025, the constitutional order of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau has been violently gravely undermined by a succession of acts that represent a grave and repeated assault on the fundamental principles of the Rule of Law in a Democratic State. Eng. Domingos Simões Pereira, Octávio Lopes, Roberto Moesba, and an undetermined number of political figures have been detained without legal basis; approximately thirty young citizens were subjected to brutal beatings for organizing peaceful demonstrations; five magistrates of the Public Prosecutor’s Office were deprived of their liberty in an absolutely arbitrary manner; and, equally unacceptable, members of the National Elections Commission were arrested, constituting a direct attack on the institutions responsible for the electoral process and on the very essence of democracy.

These actions are compounded by illegal detentions, aggressions against peaceful protesters, the forced silencing of media outlets, and the imposition of severe and disproportionate restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression on social media—freedoms recognized as essential pillars of democratic life.

Just as the country fostered hope for a minimal return to institutional normalcy, the military invasion of the PAIGC headquarters on November 29 again exposed an escalation of abuses without foundation, transparency, or any justification compatible with the principles of Law and civilized coexistence.

Reports are multiplying of illegal invasions of homes, acts that constitute direct violations of the right to the inviolability of one’s residence and represent extremely serious intimidation practices, offensive to human dignity and collective security.

Those who, by force of arms, have usurped power and subjugate citizens outside the law must recognize, clearly and unequivocally, that they have placed themselves outside the constitutional legal framework and are treading an illegitimate, unsustainable, and politically condemned path.

The Guinean people are not silent, nor are they indifferent. The international community, through its institutions, states, and regional organizations, vehemently condemns these anti-democratic practices. To persist on this path of arbitrariness, abuse, and institutional destruction is to deliberately choose isolation, illegitimacy, and historical failure.

It is, therefore, imperative to state with absolute clarity that it is urgent to immediately release all citizens detained illegally, including political leaders, youth, magistrates, CNE members, and all those who have been deprived of their liberty without respect for legal guarantees. Every minute of arbitrary detention constitutes a continuing violation of the Constitution and an assault on human dignity. We also demand the immediate cessation of all practices of intimidation, persecution, and new arbitrary detentions, which strike at the core of fundamental rights.

At this critical moment for the institutional survival of the Republic, a vehement appeal to the international community is imperative. ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union, the CPLP, and the United Nations are called upon to act with determination, using all diplomatic, political, and humanitarian mechanisms at their disposal to prevent the worst-case scenario for Guinea-Bissau. Silence, neutrality, or hesitation are not options when an entire people and its democratic institutions are under grave threat. This is the time for active solidarity and responsible intervention, to prevent the country from plunging further into chaos, violence, and constitutional rupture.

For those who currently hold the force of arms, the time has come— as imposed by the Constitution itself —to correct course. Step back while there is still legal and political space to restore some form of responsibility. Allow the electoral authorities to conclude the process legally assigned to them, without military interference, intimidation, or manipulation.

Find the courage to reconcile with the Guinean people, to restore due respect to institutions, and to put an immediate end to this spiral of violence and usurpation.

Guinea-Bissau does not belong to weapons; it belongs to the Law, it belongs to its people, it belongs to the future this country deserves. May every citizen, every institution, and every conscious voice mobilize in the intransigent defence of legality, human dignity, and freedom. History will not absolve those who choose the wrong side, but it will forever honour those who defend Law, Justice, and Democracy.

And may this unwavering commitment echo with the strength of an entire people: no power is legitimate if built on fear, no future can be born from violence, and no authority can justify aggression against human life. Peace must prevail over force, the physical integrity of every citizen is a sacred and inviolable right, and the immediate return to legality is not just a moral imperative—it is the only possible path to save the country, preserve lives, and restore hope for a dignified future.

For Peace, Justice, and Human Rights

Bissau, November 30, 2025