(Nov 2011)

Sierra Leone has made significant progress in the area of human rights since the end of the armed conflict in 2002. As awareness of human rights in Sierra Leone is still relatively low, the role which human rights defenders play in the development of this awareness and provision of basic human rights education is critical. In “Front Line Sierra Leone: Murders, Death Threats and Other Forms of Intimidation of Human Rights Defenders, 1997 – 2002”, human rights defenders are described as including “journalists, a group of individuals, civil rights activists, lawyers, community groups, religious groups or leaders, human rights NGOs as well as welfare workers”.

Human rights defenders have generally been able to undertake their work without risking to suffer serious attacks from the authorities. No cases of killings or long term detentions of HRDs were reported in recent years.

Nevertheless, some HRDs still face harassment and acts of intimidation when pursuing their work. Attacks against gender and sexual rights organizations have been reported, including destruction of property and blackmailing. These organisations face particular challenges in rural areas. In one case, an NGO had its office broken into and partially destroyed only a few months after having to change location following an eviction notice that was also reportedly linked to the nature of their work. Human rights defenders denouncing human rights violations by state authorities and traditional leaders also faced harassment.

Journalists also suffer harassment. There have been a number of reports of journalists being threatened, physically attacked or arrested. In 2011, a journalist was stabbed to death due to his reporting on a dispute on public land.

Furthermore, the government has so far failed to repeal or amend the Public Order Act 1965, which has been used to restrict the activities of HRDs and prevent them from carrying out their work by providing for criminal libel and restrictions on freedom of movement. In 2012 the government announced it was considering repealing the provisions on criminal libel.