The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed concern over the situation in the Comoros following protests against the recent presidential elections results. Türk has urged Comoros authorities to safeguard rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
After President Azali Assoumani secured a fourth term, the main opposition party, Juwa, appealed for protests and for unbiased coverage of the issue by the international media. Juwa contests the legitimacy of the election, citing official statistics showing only a 16% voter participation rate. In response to the ensuing demonstrations, largely led by young people, authorities have used tear gas and instituted a nightly curfew.
Comoros has a notable record of instability, with 20 coups in its 40 years of independence from France, including the coup through which Assoumani gained power in 1999. Critics argue that he has since steered the country towards a dictatorship, with declining rule of law scores, arrests of opponents and dissenters, weakened constitutional and anti-corruption courts, and contested constitutional reforms allowing him to stand for re-election.
Public protests have posed significant dangers since a 2019 ban under Assoumani’s regime. Türk stresses the need for the government to uphold democracy and respect freedom of speech. He also expresses concerns about the current state and direction of the Comoros government, calling for a new chapter for Comorian citizens focused on pluralism, freedom of expression, justice, and accountability.
For more details, please see the full Jurist report.