Gambiaj.com – (Bissau, Guinea-Bissau) – Several prominent opposition figures in Guinea-Bissau have denounced an alleged attempt by the country’s police to arrest Bubacar Turé, President of the Guinean League for Human Rights (LGDH), following his public criticism of the government over reported deaths at the nation’s hemodialysis center.

Former prime ministers Aristides Gomes, Domingos Simões Pereira, and Nuno Gomes Nabiam expressed outrage on Sunday, warning of grave consequences if any harm comes to Turé, who is currently in the country on official duties. Gomes and Pereira released video statements from abroad, where they currently reside in exile.

Aristides Gomes accused the country’s defense and security forces of “chasing” Turé and claimed that pro-government “militias” have been mobilized to arrest him. “If Bubacar Turé is captured and tortured, international legal action will be triggered to hold the regime accountable,” Gomes warned.

The escalating controversy began after Turé stated that “all patients undergoing hemodialysis at the Simão Mendes Hospital in Bissau died,” sparking fierce backlash from the government. The facility, Guinea-Bissau’s first hemodialysis center, was inaugurated in February with Moroccan support at the request of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

In a statement issued Saturday, the Guinean League for Human Rights reported that six police officers had allegedly raided Turé’s residence in Bissau, searching every room, including bathrooms, in a bid to apprehend him.

Domingos Simões Pereira condemned what he described as the “persecution” of a citizen merely exercising his right to express opinions. “I too have been criticized by Turé, but in a democracy, we resolve differences through the courts—not through threats and physical intimidation,” he said.

Former Prime Minister Nabiam echoed these sentiments, stating, “There can be no place for persecution in a democracy.” While admitting he was unaware of the full context surrounding the security forces’ interest in Turé, Nabiam emphasized the importance of legal recourse. “We repudiate any action that violates human rights and sympathize with the President of the League,” he said.

Civil society has also voiced concern. The Guinea-Bissau Bar Association and the Space of Concertation—a platform of civil society organizations—have both issued statements expressing alarm over Turé’s physical safety and calling for restraint by the authorities.

As tensions rise, the situation underscores growing unease about the state of civil liberties and political freedoms in Guinea-Bissau, especially amid heightened scrutiny of government responses to dissent.