The home of Bubacar Turé, a prominent human rights defender and president of the Guinean League for Human Rights (LGDH), was raided in the early hours of April 12 by unidentified police officers in an operation without a warrant

According to testimonies collected by the LGDH and local sources, at least six officers broke into his residence in Bissau, causing panic among his family members, including minors. Turé, a jurist by training and a key figure in the fight against corruption and state abuses in Guinea-Bissau, was not at the home, but his whereabouts remain unknown, fueling fears of kidnapping or torture

The LGDH condemned the incident as part of a campaign of repression by President Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s regime to silence critics. The organization noted a pattern of harassment against activists and journalists, noting that Turé had already received death threats in 2022 after denouncing an attempted coup. At that time, armed men intimidated him and other League leaders

Tireless Fighter for Human Rights

Turé, elected president of the LGDH in December 2023 after 16 years as vice president, has focused his work on defending the rule of law and democracy, and on denouncing violations such as human trafficking, excessive use of force by security forces, and censorship of freedom of expression, as can be seen in this March 2 publication

His critical voice against authoritarianism has made him a recurring target

Reactions

International human rights organizations have demanded his immediate release and guarantees for his safety. On social media, users have reported a “political kidnapping, ” although these claims have not been verified. Guinea-Bissau authorities, for their part, have not issued official statements, further deepening the uncertainty

The country’s political climate is extremely volatile, marked by a history of persecution of dissidents, fueling speculation about a possible arbitrary arrest or enforced disappearance

However, the lack of concrete information makes it impossible to confirm whether Turé is in hiding, detained, or in a more serious situation

While the international community is calling for transparency, the case of Bubacar Turé stands as further evidence of the risks faced by those who defend human rights in contexts of growing authoritarianism.