In a significant development, Guinea’s current junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, has granted a pardon to former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara, who was serving a 20-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity linked to the 2009 stadium massacre in Conakry.
Camara, who seized power in a 2008 coup, was convicted in July 2024 for his role in the tragic events of September 28, 2009, when security forces opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of at least 157 individuals and the rape of dozens of women.
The pardon, announced on March 28, 2025, was justified on health grounds, though specific details regarding Camara’s medical condition were not disclosed. This decision has elicited mixed reactions within Guinea and the international community. While some view it as a gesture of national reconciliation, others, particularly families of the massacre victims, have expressed profound disappointment, feeling that justice has been undermined. 
The 2009 massacre remains a dark chapter in Guinea’s history, with ongoing calls for accountability and support for the victims and their families. The junta’s recent commitment to pay court-ordered compensation, estimated at over $20 million, offers some solace, yet the pardon of Camara raises questions about the balance between justice and political considerations in the nation’s path toward healing and democratic governance.
Read also: Kenyan UN Peacekeeper Killed in Central African Republic Ambush
