EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: AFR 29/02/91

Distr: UA/SC

3 January 1991

Further information on UA 394/90 (AFR 29/01/90, 3 October 1990) - Legal Concern/Torture

GUINEA: Bakary Karifa SAKHO, aged 50 from Lola, a member of parliament under the late President Sékou Touré

Nansadi BERETE, aged 40, an engineer, sentenced to death in 1987 in absentia by the State Security Court in connection with a coup attempt in July 1985; returned to Guinea following a Presidential amnesty in February 1990 which granted amnesty to those convicted of political offences

N'Vanfing KOUROUMA, businessman, aged 45, member of the Coordination Committee of the Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen (RPG), the Guinean People's Organization

The three people named above who were detained in early August were tried on 23 November 1990 by the Tribunal de Conakry I (Conakry Court I) - and not, as previously suggested, by the State Security Court. All three were charged under Article 244 of the Penal Code with writing or distributing anonymous publications and did not face any charge connected with the security of the state, as appeared likely in October. The charge referred to documents apparently found in Nansadi Bérété's possession at the time of his arrest and which the others arrested with him were suspected of distributing. Nansadi Bérété was additionally charged under Article 135 of the Penal Code for holding false identity documents. All three were convicted on all counts and sentenced to terms of imprisonment.

Bakary Sakho and N'Vanfing Kourouma were sentenced to three months' imprisonment and the court ordered their release within seven days. They had already spent three months in pre-trial custody. Both have been freed.

Nansadi Bérété was given an 18-month prison sentence for using false papers and distributing anonymous leaflets. It is not clear what proportion of the sentence was imposed for each offence. Inquiries will continue through a different Amnesty International channel to investigate whether he is a prisoner of conscience.

Please take no further action. Thank you to all those who sent appeals on their behalf.