Sixty‑seven‑year‑old Mamadou Saliou Bah said his son, 17, died in a Guinean prison after being jailed for cheating on the national school‑leaving exam. The teenager, who suffers from sickle‑cell disease, was convicted of using his phone during the exam on 15 July and sentenced to six months, five of which were suspended.
When his condition deteriorated in the Kindia prison, he was transferred to a regional hospital. He died a few days later, the prosecutor said, and his father claims he did not receive proper medical care during incarceration.
Sickle‑cell disease is a lifelong genetic condition that hampers the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, making patients prone to severe infections and anaemia. The case has drawn criticism from human rights groups urging an independent inquiry into the circumstances of the boy’s death.
Students have protested against the detention of their classmates, arguing that young people are the future of the country and should not be imprisoned. “I also ask the authorities to release the other students who are still detained before they too lose their lives,” Saliou Bah said. He added, “We lost our son, we lost our future.”
Education Minister Alpha Bacar Barry expressed deep sadness over the incident, offering his sincere condolences to the family. The incident underscores concerns about healthcare infrastructure in prisons and the broader handling of adolescent justice in Guinea.
