This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
Guinea's President Alpha Conde has come under fire for his government's handling of recent protests, which have left dozens injured and at least 10 people dead.
On October 14, 2019, a wave of unauthorized protests swept across the West African nation, bringing much of the country to a standstill.
Abdourahamane Sanoh, coordinator of the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an alliance of opposition groups, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, while four other leaders received six-month terms.
The opposition claims that police gunfire has killed at least 10 protesters over the course of several days, while the authorities put the death toll at eight, including a gendarme.
Lawyers for the defendants have vowed to appeal the verdict, which was handed down in a Guinean court.
Prosecutors had sought maximum sentences of five years for seven of the accused and fines of two million Guinean francs ($190, 194 euros).
The protests are believed to have been sparked by speculation that Conde, 81, plans to change the constitution to allow himself to seek a third term in office.
Conde, a former opposition figure, became Guinea's first democratically elected president in 2010, but critics say his rule has become increasingly authoritarian.
