Geneva, 30th September 2026 – Civil society organisations have called on the Government of Sierra Leone to translate its commitments under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) into concrete reforms that protect civic space and human rights.
Speaking at the 63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council during the adoption of Sierra Leone’s UPR report, Zélie Leïla Ménard delivered a joint statement on behalf of CIVICUS, Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), and Mother Earth for Climate Justice (ME4CJ).
The organisations welcomed Sierra Leone’s engagement with the UPR process but expressed concern over the government’s limited progress. Since its last review, Sierra Leone has only partially implemented one out of 17 recommendations relating to civic space. While the government previously accepted 14 recommendations, civil society groups say it has now backtracked, failing to adopt any measures addressing harassment, intimidation, and attacks against activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
“Instead, the state has continued using laws and security personnel to harass, intimidate and persecute civil society activists, HRDs and journalists,” the statement noted.
Civil society groups urged the government to: Repeal Part III of the Public Order Act 1965, which restricts citizens’ right to peaceful protest and public processions; implement progressive laws and policies that create an enabling environment for civil society and human rights defenders and accelerate institutional reforms and ratify mechanisms such as the African Court, granting citizens direct access to justice.
The statement stressed that Sierra Leone must uphold its human rights obligations and ensure that commitments made under the UPR are not symbolic but lead to tangible improvements in freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly.
