Information on the treatment of the family members of those associated with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) [NGA23687.E]

Please see Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995 for the names of members of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and other pro-democracy activists who were arrested and detained by the security agents in 1995.

The same source states that "police also commonly place relatives and friends of wanted suspects in detention without criminal charge in an effort to induce suspects to surrender to arrests" (np). However, the source does not specify whether family members of those associated with the SDP or NADECO are among those at risk.

Human Rights Watch World Report 1996 reports that the were frequent arrests of members of NADECO, other pro-democracy activist groups and other government opponents in 1995, but contains no reference on the arrests of family members (35).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington. DC. (Electronic version received from Resource Information Center, US Immigration and Naturalisation Service)

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1995. Human Rights Watch World Report 1996. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Attachments

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington. DC. (Electronic version received from Resource Information Center, US Immigration and Naturalisation Service), np.

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1995. Human Rights Watch World Report 1996. New York: Human Rights Watch, p. 35.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]. 1995 to present.

Africa Events [London]. 1995 to present.

Africa News [Durham, NC]. 1995 to present.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political Series [London]. 1995 to present.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports.

Keesing's Record of World Events. 1995.

West Africa [London]. 1995 to present.

On-line searches of news articles.