Geneva: The United Nations said the presidential election race in Guinea had been marked by intimidation, and urged authorities to ensure there was no fear or repression in Sunday's voting.
"Ahead of Sunday's presidential election in Guinea, the civic and political space has been severely restricted, marked by intimidation of opposition actors, apparently politically-motivated enforced disappearances, and constraints on media freedom," UN human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement released Friday.
Turk said several cases of enforced disappearance remain unresolved, including those of four relatives of artist and opposition figure Elie Kamano who have been missing since November 16.
Members of the Guinea Special Forces unit stand guard during the final campaign rally of Guinean President and presidential candidate Mamady Doumbouya ahead of the country's presidential election in Conakry on December 25, 2025. Guinean voters head to the polls for a presidential election on December 28, 2025. (Photo by Patrick Meinhardt/ AFP)
Sanassy Keita, a photographer associated with former president Alpha Conde, has also been missing since his abduction by armed men on November 27, he added.
"The timing and apparent targeted nature of these incidents intimidate opposition figures, disrupt campaigning and deter voter mobilisation," said Turk.
"They contribute to a climate of fear among political actors and the population at large, and risk undermining the credibility of the electoral process."
Some 6.8 million people in the west African nation are eligible to vote Sunday, choosing between nine candidates, including 41-year-old Doumbouya, who is running as an independent.
