Guinea President grants pardon to 217 detainees including Aliou Bah

On October 2, 2026, during Guinea's 68th independence anniversary, President Mamadi Doumbouya issued a presidential decree granting a full pardon to 217 detainees. Among the beneficiaries is political leader Mamadou Aliou Bah of the Mouvement démocratique libéral (MoDeL), who was released after approximately 22 months of detention following a conviction for offense and defamation against the head of state.

The decree includes a specific condition: beneficiaries must complete a 45-day civic training and reintegration program before fully realizing the benefits of the pardon. The practical implementation of this program will be defined by joint orders from the ministries of Justice and National Defense.

Political reactions to the measure have been divided. Abdoulaye Yéro Baldé, president of FRONDEG, welcomed the decision as a positive signal that could help restore trust and ease national political tensions. Conversely, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo criticized the move, arguing it demonstrates a concentration of power and does not rectify the initial injustice of Aliou Bah's arrest and detention.