Guinea Junta Leader Pardons Ex-Military Ruler Convicted in 2009 Stadium Massacre

Guinea’s junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, has issued a pardon to former military leader Moussa Dadis Camara, citing "health reasons," according to a decree broadcast on state television late Friday. The decision comes less than a year after Camara was sentenced to 20 years in prison on July 31, 2024, for crimes against humanity related to the brutal 2009 stadium massacre in the capital, Conakry.

Camara, 61, who seized power in a 2008 coup, was convicted alongside seven other military commanders for their roles in the deaths of at least 157 people during a pro-democracy rally on September 28, 2009. The pardon has sparked debate in Guinea, a West African nation currently under military rule following Doumbouya’s own coup in 2021.

The 2009 Stadium Massacre: A Day of Horror

The massacre occurred when tens of thousands of Guineans gathered at a stadium in Conakry to protest Camara’s apparent intention to run in a presidential election scheduled for 2010, despite his earlier pledge to step aside. The rally, intended as a peaceful demonstration, turned into a bloodbath as security forces under Camara’s command intervened with extreme violence.

Witnesses reported that soldiers fired teargas into the crowd, charged the stadium, and opened fire with live ammunition. Many attendees were shot, stabbed, or beaten, while others were crushed in a deadly stampede as they tried to flee. Prosecutors later revealed that at least a dozen women were raped by security forces during the chaos, with some victims subjected to public sexual violence. The official death toll stands at 157, though human rights groups suggest the true number may be higher due to missing persons and unreported casualties.

The massacre shocked the international community and remains one of the darkest chapters in Guinea’s recent history, symbolizing the brutal lengths to which the military would go to suppress dissent.

Trial and Conviction

After years of delays, Camara and his co-accused faced trial, culminating in their conviction in July 2024. The court found Camara guilty of orchestrating the crackdown, sentencing him to two decades behind bars. The verdict was hailed as a rare moment of accountability in a country where impunity for military abuses has long been the norm.

The court also ordered Camara and the other convicted commanders to pay substantial compensation to the victims, including at least $2 million to rape survivors and $18 million to the families of those killed or missing, according to Reuters estimates.

Pardon and Compensation

In a surprising twist, Guinea’s current military government announced on Thursday that it would assume responsibility for paying the court-ordered compensation, sparing Camara and his co-defendants the financial burden. Just a day later, Doumbouya’s decree pardoning Camara was made public, raising questions about the junta’s motives.

Doumbouya, who overthrew civilian president Alpha Condé in a 2021 coup, has not elaborated on the "health reasons" cited for Camara’s release. Critics speculate the move may be an attempt to consolidate support among military factions or to deflect attention from the junta’s own governance challenges.

A Nation Still Healing

The pardon has reignited painful memories for survivors and victims’ families, many of whom waited over a decade for justice. While the government’s decision to cover compensation offers some financial relief, it does little to address the deeper wounds left by the 2009 massacre. For now, Guinea remains a nation grappling with its past, caught between cycles of military rule and the elusive promise of democracy.