The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has called on Guinea-Bissau's military-led government to unconditionally release all detained political figures, including opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, warning that their continued detention threatens the credibility of the country's transition to democratic rule.
The demand came at the conclusion of a summit meeting of heads of state in Sierra Leone, where ECOWAS leaders issued a statement saying the release of all political prisoners could "bolster the credibility of the transition process." The bloc's intervention reflects growing international concern over the trajectory of the small West African nation, which has been under military rule since last November.
Guinea-Bissau's military leaders seized power in a coup in November 2025 and adopted a one-year transitional charter the following month. Pereira, a former prime minister and leader of the revolutionary PAIGC party, was detained on the day of the coup but was moved to house arrest in February in what appeared to be an attempt to appease ECOWAS. However, a military court ordered him back to prison on July 10, his family told Reuters last week.
Pereira has been accused of economic crimes and involvement in an alleged coup attempt in October 2025, charges he has consistently denied. His supporters view the case as politically motivated, aimed at sidelining a key opposition figure ahead of elections. The military government has not formally responded to ECOWAS's latest demand.
According to the ECOWAS statement, the country is scheduled to hold a constitutional referendum on August 30, followed by general elections on December 6, 2026. However, Guinea-Bissau's government has not formally announced these dates, raising questions about whether the transition timeline will be adhered to.
The political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, one of the world's poorest countries, has been marked by repeated coups and instability since independence from Portugal in 1974. The current military-led transition has been closely watched by regional and international actors, who have urged the authorities to restore civilian rule and hold credible elections.
ECOWAS's call for Pereira's release underscores the bloc's determination to hold the military leadership accountable to its transitional commitments. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pereira's status on Tuesday, leaving the opposition leader's fate uncertain as the August referendum approaches.
