Human rights defender Oumar Sylla released from prison
On 7 September 2021, human rights defender Oumar Sylla was released from prison by decree of the 5 September 2021 military coup. On 28 January 2021, Oumar Sylla had been sentenced to 11 months in prison for his work in defence of the constitution and human rights in Guinea. He was charged with unlawful assembly, disturbing public order, undermining state security and destruction of public property.
Oumar Sylla, is 
a human rights defender and a leading figure of the Front National pour la Défense de la Constitution (National Front for the Defense of the Constitution-FNDC) and deputy coordinator of Tournons La Page Guinea (Let's turn the page-TLP). The FNDC is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to upholding the rights and freedoms enacted in the constitution of Guinea.
On 7 September 2021, human rights defender Oumar Sylla was released from prison by decree of the 5 September 2021 military coup. On 28 January 2021, Oumar Sylla had been sentenced to 11 months in prison for his work in defence of the constitution and human rights in Guinea. He was charged with unlawful assembly, disturbing public order, undermining state security and destruction of public property.
Oumar Sylla, is a human rights defender and a leading figure of the Front National pour la Défense de la Constitution (National Front for the Defense of the Constitution-FNDC) and deputy coordinator of Tournons La Page Guinea (Let's turn the page-TLP). The FNDC is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to upholding the rights and freedoms enacted in the constitution of Guinea.
On 29 September 2020, Oumar Sylla was violently arrested by men in plain clothes on the street in the commune of Matoto in Conakry city as he was about to participate in a demonstration organised by FNDC to protest against the candidacy of President Alpha Condé for a third term. He was brought to the Direction de la Police Judiciaire (Directorate of Judicial Police – DPJ), where he was interrogated in the absence of his lawyers. His lawyers were refused entry into the DPJ offices, which was an infringement of the rights of defence. A few hours later, the prosecutor of the Mafanco court decided to place Oumar Sylla under a committal order and imprison him in Conakry central prison.
On 5 September 2021, a military junta overthrew President Alpha Conde in a coup. A few days later, the junta announced the liberation of political prisoners including Oumar Sylla. On 7 September 2021, Oumar Sylla was released from the central prison of Conakry where he was serving his 11 month sentence while awaiting for his appeal trial.
On 17 April 2020, Oumar Sylla was arrested on charges of "spreading false information". The accusation was deemed unfounded by the criminal division of the Dixinn Court of First Instance. On 27 August 2020, the human rights defender was then released after more than four months of abusive detention.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of human rights defender Oumar Sylla as it believes his detention was solely in retaliation for his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights.
