From Salio Samp
CONAKRY (Archyde.com) – A young man was shot dead by security forces during an anti-government protest in the capital, Conakry, on Wednesday, an opposition coalition said.
It was at least the third protest with deaths in Guinea since June, and was organized by groups calling on the country’s military leaders to quickly return to constitutional order.
Guinea’s ruling junta, which took power in a coup last year, has been negotiating with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over how long it can stay in power before elections are organized. ECOWAS said a mediator was due to arrive in Conakry on Sunday.
The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution, an alliance of politicians and activists, said a 19-year-old was killed in the Wanendara suburb of Conakry during the demonstrations.
An official from OGDH, the main human rights monitoring organization in Guinea, confirmed the death of a young man after being shot, but said he did not know the circumstances of the incident.
Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The protest was smaller than previous protests, in part due to heavy rain. The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution said at least four people were shot and wounded during two days of protests in late July.