afrol News, 8 July - The International rights organisation, Human Rights Watch has criticised the Guinean coup leaders of undermining human rights and slugging progress in organising elections.

The junta, led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, took power in a bloodless coup when veteran President Lansana Conte died in December 2008.

HRW said in its six months in power, the new leadership had failed to show that it was serious about improving respect for human rights in Guinea.

The Human Rights Watch’s senior West Africa researcher Corinne Dufka said the new government needs to act on recurrent human rights violations and organise elections without delays.

The researcher said since the coup in December, the Organisations has found numerous instances where the ruling National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) has violated its commitment to end human rights violations and taken little concrete action to organize elections promised before the end of the year.

The organisation said the Junta continues arbitrary detentions in the country, citing 16 military personnel who have detained since January without a charge.

“This prolonged detention of the men without charge, access to a lawyer, or review by an independent judge constitutes arbitrary detention, in violation of Guinea's international law obligations,” it said.

The Organisation the government has a little to prepare for the elections, saying to date no funding has been committed by the government to plan for elections.

It further said a ban on political activity has been reinstated, and there have been attacks on opposition parties, urging the Guinean authorities to repeal the ban on political activity and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections as quickly as possible.

It said a number of activities have been cancelled following the nationwide ban on political activities, including raid and attacks on opposition parties who are fielding their candidates for the polls.

In June, Guinea's army chiefs urged the ruling junta to delay elections scheduled for later this year saying the country is not ready to organise credible presidential and parliamentary elections in 2009.

The coup leaders urged Captain Camara to extend his time in office to finish some of the projects started over the past six months when he took power.

Captain Camara had earlier this year indicated that the West African state will hold elections in 2010, but backed down on his plan as international pressure mounted on his regime.

By staff writer

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