Photos of women stripped naked and humiliated, posted online

Photographs of Guineans being humiliated naked in the street during last Monday's opposition crackdown are circulating on the Net. One of our Observers says he witnessed the scene when this photo was taken.

A few days after the brutal repression in Conakry last week, several photos of women being abused by soldiers were posted on the Guinea News forum. We were sent these ghastly images but chose only to publish one, after blurring the face of the victim. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has called for an investigation in order to bring to justice "all those responsible for carrying out summary executions, rapes and other human rights violations" in what she described as a "bloodbath" at the hands of the Guinea's army.

Contributors

“I saw several other women being abused by soldiers”

Lamine Camara (not his real name) works as a journalist for a Guinean radio station. He witnessed the trouble last Monday.

I covered the demonstration for my station. After the first shots, everyone starting running for their lives. It was at that point when I saw this woman, in front of one the stadium's two exits. She was pushed to the floor; a soldier was stripping her naked. I don't know what happened afterwards, we had to flee. But I saw several other women being abused by soldiers. Each time they caught one, they'd ask what she was doing there and why she was demonstrating. I've never heard of such a things happening in Guinea. It's truly shocking."   

Lamine Camara's picture

Lamine Camara

  • Guinea
  • Journalist

“‘She’s not my sister; not my cousin. I’ll do as I please!’”

Nankouma, another journalist, was also at the protest. He too saw women singled out and attacked.

I saw several women being ill-treated. Once the crackle of gunfire started, everything turned to chaos. The soldiers were armed up to their teeth. Protestors tried to break down the stadium door to get out. As I rushed past the women's toilets I saw a soldier ripping off a girl's jeans. Nearby, there were five others, including one woman who looked older than 60, naked in the middle of the crowd. Another on the floor was crying and screaming, as though she had just been raped. Almost nobody did anything, because we were at the mercy of the soldiers. I saw two policemen trying to intervene. But one of the soldiers shouted ‘Why isn't she at home being a good housewife? She's not my sister; not my cousin. I'll do as I please!'"

 

Nankouma's picture

Nankouma

  • Guinea
  • Journalist

Comments

Savages

Well, glad to see they are handling themselves in a dignified manner under self rule, pretty much like the rest of the continent.

Unregistered user

Analysis of the Photo

If we take a good look at the position of the hand of the soldier in the photo, we can easily deduce that he is helping the woman to dress not undress, or else hos hand should have been tugging at the down end of the trousers not at the waist of it. It is more likely that she is injured and have been stripped earlier for some reason we don't know. No matter what have happened, this single photo is gross but is not in any case an evidence to anything. The press must obtain other evidence. Otherwise its only a slandour and mudslayer. While all the world witnessed the atrocities of Israeli army in Gaza live and on TV, no one responded like they are doing in this case, and most of those who watched at the days of the Israeli war on Gaza have now forgotten all about it. Let's make first things first, then we shall be humans.

Unregistered user

on the pic u can see that

on the pic u can see that militairy man is helping, that true. But wat u have to know that guinea militairy is divided. some are trying to spoil and others trying to help. God bless guinea

Amen

Unregistered user

against humanity and against women

Always performing and kill women only to satisfy their sexual needs without witnesses like animals and they know that woman's rights have no value in front of men
This is unfortunate they are oblivious to what was in all religions and when they commit their crimes against humanity and against women in third world countries..

Unregistered user

Women have always been raped

Women have always been raped during wars and nothing can change it. Sad, but it's one of the rules - armed and stronger owns weaker one. This is war.

Unregistered user

Please what u have to

Please what u have to understand is that guinea is not in war.But the militairy killing theit own powerless people.

Unregistered user

GUINEA DEMONSTRATIONS

Why is it that the world super powers only act after damage has already been done. The chaotic situation in Guinea begs for immediate external military intervention with France playing a leading role.

Unregistered user

TO KILL AN UNWANTED DOG GIVE HIM A BAD NAME

i was not in the stadium,but live very close to the scene of the event.Seeing what happened on the 28th of sept.I never believed that any human being will have time to be involved in raping buisness as was being speculated,it is mere speculation.Who knows if the man in uniform is ofering the lady assistance?so don't be in a haste to conclude that he is undressing her.60% of guinea women do not wear pants and they love moving about in wrappers.If you go to offices 80% do not wear bras.so seeing a woman with breast exposed doesn't mean the military did it.Their wrappers can fall off when they were trying to escape for their lives.Do you not believe that the picture can be faked,a civilian can put on uniform to demostrate that.The person the took those pics would have use his phone to record one scene.Why is it that in the pics none was shown with a military man naked committing the act.To kill an unwanted dog give him a BAD NAME.None of those pics can be proved convincingly.thanks

Unregistered user

I BELEIVE YOU MY BROTHER

DOSE SO CALLED WHITE MEN CAN DO ANY THING TO DISTROY AFRICA IMAGE. WHAT IS GOING IN THIER LAND HOMOSEXAL NO BODY IS AGAINST THEM

Unregistered user

Answer begs a question

Ibrahima Diallo states "Their wrappers can fall off when they were trying to escape for their lives" Ask now why these citizens believed that they had to "escape for their lives" if they were not in fear of this disgusting breach of human rights.

Unregistered user

It's time for the international community to act!!!

Please the world should not false the Guinean who were abuses for Democracy. The international community should not false to act because of their self interest. The interest of humanity come first.

Unregistered user

Poor Guinea, nowadays?

I can not believe something like that happening during those days. They are not afraid doing such crime and until the person who call himself president of Guinea understand that military and civil, politics and military can not give a good blend.
Whether he is military or he is head of state. people citizen of the world, you should refuse receiving such criminal in your country and the united Africa organization need should hold severs sanction on that government but not on free and innocent Guinea citizen. Oh my Africa!!!!

Unregistered user

This is the problem of

This is the problem of letting the military deal with civilians, this kind of mess always happens.

Unregistered user

re:Guinea - only in Africa!

Where else but amongst the dusty ,desperate streets of yet another African despotic regime...these scenes are as shocking as any we are ever likely to see in any place on Earth.

It's for this reason that African countries will NEVER prosper as they are, it seems, UNIFORMLY unable to subject themselves to a civilized form of governance or rid themselves of these barbaric acts against the laws of humanity.

Shame! How much longer must Africa bleed?

Unregistered user

how could you

how could this happen ? We are human beings or are we I have seen better than this in the wild . do they have no pride in themselves or there country.to do this to another human being is wrong and each and ever one of them should have to pay for what they did . I for one hope they dearly

sherry

Unregistered user

this needs to stop... I am

this needs to stop... I am an african women and when I hear about issues like our own men being so insensitive to us ... I cry, I die... It seems like no one wants to help us. We are helpless.

Unregistered user

such a political act is not

such a political act is not to be left unpunished . I don't have any probem with the power of dear Dadis CAmara , but i would like him to remember that a supreme bieng will judge us . I would like international community to know that this is what their are called to react witout delaying in.

Unregistered user

Too late

No one will react until It is too late. This happens over and over in history, this time wont be different. Let God be with us and our country Guinea.

Unregistered user