On August 27, Georgia Youkontee Karyah, IYAFP’s Country Coordinator for Liberia and SRHR Coordinator of the Health Alliance for All Liberia Inc, has been placed behind bars for being part of an Anti Rape Protest in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, to protest the increasing numbers of rape that has happened throughout the country. 

Liberian Anti-Rape campaigners have said that over a seven-month period, from January to July of this year, 960 rape cases were reported across the country, not including those that have occurred in hard-to-reach communities and the government has turned a blind eye to these cases. Georgia has dedicated herself to work with women and youth since 2016 in advocating for policy reforms and legislations that ensure the sexual and reproductive rights of vulnerable women and girls.

We have fortunately been able to hear back and got the update that Georgia has been released. However, she still faces potential court action at the moment, but we demand her ​immediate and unconditional​ vindication.

Freedom of expression, assembly and association are fundamental human rights that must be protected, respected and guaranteed by ​all governments. This human rights violation goes also against Liberia’s constitution, Article 15 (a) (b) and (c), which speaks to freedom of speech, information and expressions, and Article 17 recognizes the right of freedom of assembly and association.

The detention of Georgia Youkonee Karyah and subsequently any charges levied against her for participating in the protest mentioned above, constitutes a violation of her rights and this situation needs to be repaired immediately. Intimidation against young human rights defenders must stop.