Published: March 5, 2025
GANTA – The political leader of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP), Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe, has accused President Joseph Nyumah Boakai and his Unity Party-led government of violating international human rights laws.
Speaking in Saclepea as the keynote speaker at the first national convention of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), Cllr. Gongloe condemned what he termed as a “blatant disregard for the rule of law and human rights” by the Boakai administration. His criticism stemmed from the government’s decision to deport a Guinean national who had sought refuge in Liberia due to fears of persecution.
“I want to remind President Boakai and his officials of something deeply troubling—the decision to send a Guinean citizen back to his country, where he feared persecution. That decision was a grave violation of human rights,” Cllr. Gongloe stated.
Gongloe argued that the Unity Party assumed power on the promise of upholding the rule of law, yet has violated the very principles it vowed to protect. He drew parallels between the Boakai administration and its predecessor, the Weah-led government, which also faced backlash for deporting a Sierra Leonean police chief fleeing alleged persecution in his home country.
“This same government, which assured Liberians of its commitment to the rule of law, has done exactly what President George Weah’s administration did—send back individuals seeking refuge from persecution,” Gongloe charged. “It is business as usual.”
The former Liberian Bar Association president stressed that no African country has ever forcibly returned a Liberian fleeing persecution, citing the refusal of Sierra Leonean authorities to extradite a Liberian political commentator and talk show host despite demands from the Liberian government.
Gongloe described these actions as clear violations of international human rights law, particularly the Principle of Non-Refoulement, enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention, to which Liberia is a signatory. This principle prohibits states from returning individuals to countries where they risk persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations, regardless of their immigration status.
“What kind of country is this, where one government comes to power promising to right the wrongs of the past, only to repeat the same mistakes? What kind of leadership allows such blatant violations of international law and human dignity?” Gongloe questioned.
With alleged human rights abuses occurring under President Boakai’s watch, Gongloe urged citizens to take action. He called on Liberians to stop downplaying these issues and to hold their leaders accountable through democratic means, ensuring the emergence of a government that respects the rule of law, upholds human rights, and governs with integrity.
“The time has come for Liberians to stop pretending these are minor infractions,” Gongloe asserted. “Citizens must take decisive action to demand accountability from this administration and usher in leadership that leads with dignity rather than ignorance and arrogance.”
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