UN Experts Demand Answers Over Disappearance of Children in Guinea, Warn Against ‘Weaponising Fear’ to Silence Dissent

Rights specialists condemn alleged abduction of three children and a relative linked to exiled government critic Elie Kamano.

United Nations human rights experts have expressed grave alarm over the alleged abduction and enforced disappearance of three children and an adult family member in Guinea, warning that the case appears to represent a targeted act of reprisal against a prominent government critic living in exile.

In a strongly worded statement released today, the experts described the alleged use of children as leverage against political opponents as an "exceptionally cruel" abuse and a serious violation of international human rights law.

"The abduction and subsequent enforced disappearance of children as a means of punishing or pressuring a parent or relative is an act of exceptional cruelty," the experts said.

"Using children as leverage and causing them irreparable harm constitutes an egregious violation affecting the children, their family and the wider community."

According to the allegations presented to the UN experts, the incident took place during the early hours of 11 November 2025 in the Matoto market area of Conakry, Guinea's capital.

Masked men believed to be members of the Guinean gendarmerie reportedly forced their way into a private residence before assaulting and abducting the children — aged between 14 and 16 years old — along with an adult family member.

The victims were allegedly taken away in official-looking vehicles to an unknown location.

Human rights experts said the operation appeared highly coordinated and deliberately targeted.

Reports indicate the perpetrators first confirmed the identity of the household before carrying out the abduction, suggesting the victims were selected specifically because of their family relationship to Elie Kamano, a well-known Guinean musician, activist, and outspoken government critic.

Kamano, who has publicly criticised Guinea's authorities and advocated on human rights issues, is currently living in exile after reportedly receiving threats to his safety.

The UN experts warned that targeting relatives of dissidents, activists, or political critics constitutes a deeply troubling escalation in efforts to suppress dissent.

"Subjecting families to anguish and uncertainty, particularly when children are involved, is inhumane," the experts said.

"Weaponising fear against families and children to crush dissent constitutes an especially egregious form of abuse that no State can justify."

The families of the disappeared individuals have reportedly received no official information regarding the victims' fate or whereabouts in the six months since the alleged abductions occurred.

According to the experts, repeated requests for clarification directed at Guinean authorities and appeals to the international community have gone unanswered.

Enforced disappearances are considered among the most serious violations under international human rights law because they place individuals outside the protection of the law and often expose victims to torture, ill-treatment, or extrajudicial killing.

The psychological impact on families is also recognised internationally as a form of ongoing suffering due to prolonged uncertainty regarding the fate of loved ones.

The UN experts called on Guinea's authorities to immediately reveal the whereabouts of the children and the adult family member, guarantee their safety and wellbeing, and secure their release without delay.

They further demanded a "prompt, independent, impartial, thorough and effective" investigation into the alleged abductions and disappearances.

The experts said those responsible must be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable, while victims and their families should receive full reparations for the harm suffered.

Human rights organizations have increasingly raised concerns in recent years over shrinking civic space, political repression, and alleged abuses by security forces in Guinea following periods of political instability and military rule.

Analysts say the case could further intensify international scrutiny of Guinea's human rights record, particularly regarding the treatment of political opponents, activists, journalists, and civil society figures.

The UN experts emphasized that reprisals against family members of critics or dissidents violate core principles of the rule of law and may amount to collective punishment — a practice prohibited under international law.

"The experts stressed that reprisals against family members of critics, dissidents or human rights defenders violate fundamental principles of the rule of law and may amount to collective punishment," the statement said.

International observers note that cases involving alleged enforced disappearances of children are especially alarming because of the heightened protections children are entitled to under international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The UN experts did not identify which specific mandate holders issued the statement, but such communications typically involve specialists focused on enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, freedom of expression, and the protection of human rights defenders.

The case is likely to increase pressure on Guinea's transitional authorities to cooperate with international human rights mechanisms and provide transparency regarding the allegations.