Courts paralysed over lawyers’ strike

Courts in Guinea are paralysed after lawyers embarked on a nationwide strike to protest against the military regime carrying out ‘arbitrary arrests’ and ‘secret detentions’, the Bar association has said. The strike is the latest sign of growing outrage over the arrest of two prominent activists campaigning for a return to democratic rule. France’s far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, whose coalition won the most seats in last week’s parliamentary elections, has also called for their release. BBC News reports that the Bar association said lawyers would boycott court sessions for the next two weeks, until 31 July. ‘The courts are not closed, but their activity is rather paralysed,’ said its spokesman Gabriel Kamano. Lawyers plan to return to court on 1 August – a day after a verdict is due to be given in the trial of former military ruler Dadis Camara on charges of crimes against humanity. The case has been closely followed in Guinea, as it covers one of the worst massacres in the nation's history – the killing of more than 150 people during a protest against military rule in 2009. Scores of women were also raped. Camara, the country's leader at the time, is accused of many counts of murder, sexual violence, torture, abduction and kidnapping, along with other officials implicated in the massacre. They all denied the allegations against them. Authorities have insisted the trial will proceed, but it is unclear if the verdict will be read on that date because of the strike.