Moussa Dadis Camara, Guinea's former dictator, has been pardoned by the country's junta head for "health reasons," according to a decree announced on national TV. This comes after Camara was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a 2009 massacre. “Upon the proposal of the Minister of Justice, a presidential pardon is granted to Mr Moussa Dadis Camara for health reasons,” the decree was announced on TV by General Amara Camara, the presidential spokesperson, on Friday evening.

In a historic trial, a court sentenced Dadis Camara to 20 years in prison last July after finding him guilty of crimes against humanity. The case is linked to one of the darkest chapters in Guinea’s history. On September 28, 2009, security forces killed at least 156 people at an opposition rally using gunfire, knives, machetes, and bayonets, according to a UN-backed inquiry. 100 were injured, and at least 109 women were raped. The violence continued for days, with women held captive and detainees subjected to torture.

Families and human rights organisations reported that only 57 bodies had been recovered out of at least 156 victims, with the actual death toll likely being much higher.

Dadis Camara was discovered guilty “on the basis of superior responsibility,” with the judge stating that he was also responsible for “his intention to suppress the demonstration” and for failing to hold the perpetrators of the massacre accountable. Additionally, seven others were sentenced to prison terms of up to life imprisonment for their involvement in the killings. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) held the verdict, describing it as a “landmark moment in establishing the truth… and bringing to account those bearing the greatest responsibility for the atrocities committed.”

Dadis Camara was granted a pardon after General Mamadi Doumbouya, the head of the junta, announced that the government would cover compensation costs for the victims of the September 28, 2009, incident. The junta pledged to implement the court-ordered reparations ranging from 200 million Guinean francs ($23,100) to 1.5 billion Guinean francs ($173,300), counting on each case. The ruling military government, which took power in a 2021 coup, had permitted this significant trial to proceed. The latest decrees were issued amid strict limitations on freedoms in Guinea. Many critics of the junta have either gone missing or are facing legal proceedings, while protests calling for the military’s removal are frequently prohibited. Additionally, several media outlets have been shut down across the country.