From August 31, 2023, United States has started implementing visa restrictions and individuals falling under such restrictions is Sierra Leone, who are accused of undermining democracy in recent elections, which according observers were marred by serious discrepancies and rigging.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken in an announcement said:
The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Sierra Leone and around the world. Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for undermining the democratic process in the June 2023 Sierra Leone election.
Under this policy, the United States will pursue visa restrictions for those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Sierra Leone, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; intimidation of voters, election observers, or civil society organizations through threats or acts of physical violence; or the abuse or violation of related human rights in Sierra Leone. Family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions. Persons who undermine the democratic process in Sierra Leone—including in the lead-up to, during, and following Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections—may be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy.
The visa restriction policy announced today will apply to specific individuals and is not directed at the Sierra Leonean people. This decision reflects the commitment of the United States to support Sierra Leoneans’ aspirations to have free and fair elections that demonstrate the will of the people and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.
The US ambassador in Freetown, David Reimer, earlier warned that the United States could review assistance to Sierra Leone through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, in which Washington backs projects in countries that meet democratic standards.
Reimer criticized the election conduct in a local radio interview whose broadcast was disrupted when Sierra Leone’s information minister showed up at the station and demanded the right to react.
According to Sierra Leone Telegraph, the United States government has announced that it has placed visa restrictions on all “those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in undermining democracy in Sierra Leone, including through the manipulation or rigging of the electoral process; intimidation of voters, election observers, or civil society organizations through threats or acts of physical violence; or the abuse or violation of related human rights in Sierra Leone”.
This very wide visa ban comes as a response to the refusal of the country’s electoral commission to publish all disaggregated polling station results of the June 24, 2023 presidential and general elections, which the US government has described as lacking transparency and credibility.
The main opposition APC is accusing the electoral commission of rigging the votes to keep President Bio in power.
The APC party is also refusing to engage with the Bio-led government and is boycotting the country’s parliament.
This political crisis is compounding the deep economic problems facing Sierra Leone, amid rising human rights abuse and restriction of civil liberty.
The US government said few weeks ago that it has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in aid earmarked for Sierra Leone, because of election irregularities.
Despite calls for political dialogue by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the international community, President Bio is refusing to seek a peaceful end to the crisis.
The main opposition APC are calling for a re-run of the elections under a reconstituted electoral commission, supervised by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
According to The East African, President Julius Maada Bio was declared winner of the presidential race with 56.17 percent of the vote in the first round, while his Sierra Leone People’s Party won an overwhelming majority in the House of Parliament.
The APC, whose candidate Dr Samura Kamara got 41.16 percent of votes, has refused to participate in governance, boycotting parliament and other lower-level governance structures. It demanded a re-run of the election.
The opposition party also refused to seek redress in the courts, citing their lack of independence. It called on western governments to impose sanctions on the president and his top officials it holds responsible for allegedly rigging the polls.
But details of the individuals targeted by the US visa policy were not immediately revealed by Secretary Blinken, who only stated that the policy will apply to “specific individuals” and not the Sierra Leonean people.
Meanwhile, a source told Blitz that the number of individuals falling under US visa restrictions would be large, while family members of the targeted individuals shall also be subject to these restrictions.
