Guinea bans rallies citing virus, opposition cries foul

Guinea's government has announced a ban on mass rallies citing coronavirus concerns, in a move the political opposition said was designed to silence critics of President Alpha Conde.

The nationwide protest ban came ahead of an opposition rally against the 82-year-old president which had been scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

Speaking on national television on Sunday night, government spokesman Aboubacar Sylla announced a "suspension for health reasons of mass demonstrations throughout the national territory".

The ban also comes after deadly post-election unrest in the poor West African nation of some 13 million people.

But violence broke out after the election when Cellou Dalein Diallo, the 68-year-old leader of the main opposition UFDG party, proclaimed himself victorious and alleged voter fraud.

At least 21 people died in subsequent clashes across the country, according to the government, but the UFDG party put the death toll at 46.

While observers from other African countries have backed the official election results, France, the European Union and the United States have cast doubt.

Much of Guinea's political tension centres on a third presidential term for Conde, who pushed through a new constitution in March allowing him to sidestep the country's two-term limit.

The UFDG had planned to stage a demonstration on Wednesday, against both Conde and the arrest of leading party members in the aftermath of the election.

"We strongly condemn the instrumentalisation and politicisation of Covid-19 to protect the electoral hold-up and arbitrary arrests," Joachim Baba Millimono, a UFDG leader, said in a statement.

In his televised statement, government spokesman Sylla said the pandemic justified the "exceptional measure" of banning mass rallies.

He added that the ban is provisional and that the government will lift it once "significant progress" is made against the virus.

Guinea has officially recorded 12,841 cases of coronavirus to date, with 75 deaths.