Maada Boima, Research and Communication Officer HRDN-SL in his opening statement noted that the press conference is based on the ‘elections day lockdown’ by the Sierra Leone Police, as it is not in line with the laws of Sierra Leone.
“They (Police) are giving the impression to the general public that elections or polling day is about war when in actual fact, it has nothing to do with war,” he said.
Boima added that, they want Elections Day to be as normal like any other day so that people can exercise their right as enshrined in the country’s law books. He maintained however, that the move by the Sierra Leone Police to impose a restriction on people’s movements threatens the entire electioneering process and has the potential to lead to violence because some political parties refused to sign the memorandum of understanding between them and the police.
Alphonsus Gbanie Executive Secretary HRDN-SL read the press statement issued by (HRDN-SL).
In an interview with AYV, Gbanie noted that there is serious concern that the ‘Elections Day lockdown’ is a gross violation of International Human Rights Law- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). He stated that the network is of the opinion that the reasons for the “Election Day Lockdown” by the Sierra Leone Police are not justifiable under the Siracusa Principles that guide civil and political rights which include the freedom of movement guaranteed under the ICCPR of which Sierra Leone is a signatory.
