Washington, DC - Seven years ago this week, Guinea suffered a terrible tragedy when more than 150 civilians participating in peaceful demonstrations were brutally massacred and more than 100 were raped by state security forces. Since then, the Guinean people have worked to establish a more peaceful and democratic society, and to seek justice for crimes committed during the massacre.

The United States commends those who have bravely spoken out about such crimes and Guinea’s efforts to hold those responsible to account. We applaud the efforts of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict for her support to the Government of Guinea in investigating these atrocities.

We encourage the Government of Guinea to continue to make progress in the investigation of the stadium massacre, and the United States remains committed to providing support for efforts to establish justice and accountability in Guinea. Today, as tangible evidence of our commitment, the United States announced $1.4 million in additional funding to partner with the Guinean Ministry of Justice on an Atrocity Accountability and Reconciliation Project. Ensuring accountability for those who are responsible for the massacre will help prevent future outbreaks of political violence in Guinea, provide victims with a measure of justice, strengthen peace and prosperity for the Guinean people, and provide a positive example for others across the globe to emulate.