Sierra Leone must stop attempts to criminalise and persecute defenders of the Lifeline Nehemiah Projects
Front Line Defenders expresses its deep concern over the authorities’ reprisals, including arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment, physical violence, and the demolition of facilities, targeting human rights defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams, who are engaged in the peaceful defence of the Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP) in Freetown. The reprisals by the authorities also led to severe violations against the LNP community, such as the killing of a two-day-old baby during a tear gas attack on a peaceful assembly. In retaliation for their legitimate efforts to protect LNP’s land and the services it provides to vulnerable individuals, the authorities have accused Prince Tommy Williams of riotous conduct, incitement of violence, and throwing of stones, and Mohamed Turay of the disruption of a police operation. Both human rights defenders face charges in separate trials. Their hearings have been adjourned three times, indicating a deliberate delay of the judicial proceedings. Their next hearings are scheduled for 14 April 2026.
Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP) is a civil society organisation supporting children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in Sierra Leone. LNP was founded in 1992 by Richard Mandewa Cole, who supported over 2000 children during the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002). Today, it provides children as well as women and girls, families, and communities with resources and tools to foster sustainable development and address disparities faced by minorities. Since 2020, the organisation has held a freehold title to its compound in Kuntorloh from the Ministry of Land. Despite this legal ownership, the Ministry of Social Welfare declared in September 2025 its intention to construct a housing project for people with disabilities on LNP land, an initiative co-funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This initiative has triggered a conflict during which the authorities have disregarded court injunctions and legitimate land ownership, leading to a severe crackdown on those resisting the seizure.
Prince Tommy Williams is a human rights defender and the Executive Director of LNP. He has served the organisation for over 25 years, notably leading the community response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. Mohamed Turay is a human rights defender and the Finance Director of LNP. He manages LNP’s Agricultural Project and blood donation project, and advocates against gender-based violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, and girls’ education. Both defenders have been subjected to a sustained campaign of harassment, including the confiscation of their personal property, physical assaults, and criminal charges.
On 5 September 2025, the Minister of Social Welfare visited the LNP compound unannounced and declared that the Ministry will construct a housing project for people with disabilities on the LNP- owned land. This project would be part of the initiative “Enabling Economic Independence for the Specially Abled Person.” The initiative is co-funded and promoted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sierra Leone. Reportedly, the new project would not be an adequate replacement for the services that LNP already provides to people with disabilities. The infrastructure plans indicate that the new facilities do not meet basic accessibility standards. Based on this information, it appears that UNDP and the Ministry did not conduct the necessary needs assessment and due diligence required for a project of this nature.
In late September 2025, tensions escalated when construction materials were delivered to the LNP site despite a High Court interim injunction. It appears that the respective UNDP actors and the Ministry of Social Welfare disregarded the Court’s injunction and the legitimate land ownership claims of LNP. As the Minister declined to engage in a dialogue with the leadership of LNP and the Kuntorloh community, they sent a joint letter to the Chief Minister and the Office of the President of Sierra Leone, addressing the conflict and disregard of the authorities for LNP’s legitimate claims.
On 2 and 3 October 2025, police officers beat and arrested two LNP team members who voiced their concern over the beginning of the construction and one young beneficiary. On 3 October 2025, police officers raided the house of the Kuntorloh community headman. On 4 October 2025, the police fired tear gas into a peaceful assembly of parents and teachers at the Kuntorloh community, causing the death of a two-day-old baby from suffocation. On the same day, police raided Prince Tommy Williams' home, firing tear gas inside, arresting his wife and striking her multiple times without justification. On 4 October 2025, three other beneficiaries were arrested and beaten with metal chains. They were all released without charges. During these days, police officers also took IT and construction equipment from LNP and money from LNP beneficiaries. There has been no investigation aimed at ensuring accountability for the reported arrests, violence, and other human rights violations committed by the authorities.
On 15 December 2025, Prince Tommy Williams was arrested and charged with riotous conduct, disorderly behaviour, and incitement of violence regarding the October events. He was arbitrarily detained until 18 December 2025 and released on bail, with proceedings against him ongoing. His phone was confiscated by police officers and has not been returned. Further attempts to resolve the conflict through dialogue failed. A meeting arranged by UNDP on 1 December 2025 excluded LNP representatives and was reportedly used to delegitimise their work.
On 14 February 2026, police officers arrived at the LNP compound in Kuntorloh and, without warning, began demolishing several LNP buildings. Human rights defender Mohamed Turay was arrested upon arrival without any evident justification. He was arbitrarily detained at Kissy Police Station for seven days, until 20 February 2026, exceeding the legal limit of 72 hours without being charged. His detention and the unwarranted demolition of LNP buildings appear to be reprisals for the resistance of LNP leadership and the Kuntorloh community to the land seizure. Compounding these violations, on 24 February 2026, the Law Officers Department, acting on behalf of the Ministry for Social Welfare, filed an interim injunction restraining LNP and anyone associated with the organisation from publishing information about the court case, an apparent attempt to silence the organisation and prevent transparency regarding the land dispute.
The involvement of UNDP in financing a project linked to the targeting of human rights defenders raises serious concerns about due diligence and accountability. Furthermore, the filing of additional complaints against Prince Tommy Williams for cyber-bullying and stalking suggests a strategy of continuous legal harassment designed to exhaust the defenders, risking additional charges and forcing their withdrawal from the land claim.
Front Line Defenders is deeply alarmed by the attempts to criminalise, arrest, persecute, and use violence against human rights defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams. The reported threats appear to be reprisals for peaceful human rights work, particularly the legitimate measures to protect the land and facilities where LNP supports vulnerable persons. It is alarming that authorities resort to violence and criminalisation to pursue the demolition of a project that has served the community for decades. It is equally concerning that UNDP finances a project and associates with authorities allegedly linked to the targeting of human rights defenders.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Sierra Leone to drop all charges and investigations against human rights defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams, to ensure that no further human rights violations are committed, and to stop the illegal land grabbing of LNP property until ownership is clearly established. It is also important that UNDP representatives, in their capacity as a principal financial stakeholder, must promote peaceful and lawful procedures on this matter, encourage the authorities to engage in a constructive and peaceful dialogue with the LNP and Kuntorloh community, and make it clear that there should be a zero-tolerance policy towards reprisals against human rights defenders.
