Guinea's transitional president, General Mamadi Doumbouya, granted a presidential pardon this Friday to Captain Moussa Dadis Camara for health reasons. The announcement was made by the Secretary General of the Presidency during a statement broadcast on national television.
A former head of the military junta that seized power in December 2008, Moussa Dadis Camara was sentenced on July 31, 2024, to 20 years in prison for his responsibility in the September 28, 2009 massacre at Conakry stadium. These tragic events resulted in more than 150 deaths according to the UN.
The presidential decree specifies that this decision of clemency was made on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, who is also responsible for ensuring its implementation. Moussa Dadis Camara will therefore have spent only eight months in detention since his conviction and less than three years in total since his arrest.
This pardon comes shortly after the Guinean head of state decreed that the state would cover the entire compensation costs for victims of the September 28 events.
In N'zérékoré, the former president's hometown, the news was welcomed with joy by his family. His brother, Jean Dadis Camara, expressed gratitude to President Doumbouya: "We infinitely thank President Mamadi Doumbouya for this pardon. It's the greatest gift for the entire family. Everyone is happy today in N'zérékoré and throughout the region."
This presidential decision could reignite the debate on justice for the victims of the September 28 massacre, even as the historic trial held in Guinea was hailed as a significant advance in the fight against impunity in West Africa.
