Guinea’s transitional president, General Mamadi Doumbouya, has granted a presidential pardon to former military leader Moussa Dadis Camara, less than a year after his conviction for crimes against humanity.
The decision, announced on Friday, comes just nine months after Camara was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the September 28, 2009, massacre in Conakry.
The Dixinn Criminal Court found him responsible for the brutal crackdown on protesters opposing his bid for the presidency in 2010.
In a decree read on national television, General Doumbouya stated that the pardon was granted for health reasons.
The decree, which takes immediate effect, also directs the Minister of Justice to oversee its implementation.
This act of clemency is being framed as part of the transitional government’s national reconciliation efforts, amid ongoing political tensions and efforts to heal past wounds.
However, the decision is likely to spark debate, given the gravity of the crimes involved.