By Bampia James Bundu
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rahman Swarray during an aired television program said that the Government of President Julius Maada Bio has no political prisoners in detention.
He was responding to the Deputy Publicity Secretary of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, Karamoh Kabbah’s accusation that the ruling SLPP led Government is housing political detainees at the Freetown Correctional Center and other correctional centers across the country.
The Minister revealed that there are no political detainees at the Freetown Correctional Center or any other correctional center in the country. “All inmates in those facilities are incarcerated based on their individual or collective actions. They are not there because of their political affiliations or belonging, nor are they there because of what they said or did in the course of executing their political rights,” he said adding that, President Bio respects the human rights of all Sierra Leoneans and he will do all he can to protect, prevent and uphold the human rights of all.
He maintained that all those that were arrested in Tombo and Lunsar came about as a result of perpetuating riotous conducts and their arrests and subsequent detention had nothing to do with their affiliation to political parties.
The Information Minister called on the opposition APC party to be constructive in their criticisms underscoring how time for politicking is not now. “We should all come together as citizens to help transform this nation and not to be seen doing the opposite,” he cautioned.
He further urged the opposition parties to be concentrating on pertinent issues of national concern rather than focusing their time and energy on petty issues that are not beneficial to the nation. He assured Sierra Leoneans of President Bio’s continued commitment in protecting and upholding the human rights of all Sierra Leoneans irrespective of their tribe, political affiliation, religion or region.
