Introduction
On 22nd January 2024, President Joseph Boakai began forming his government after being sworn into office. During the process, President Boakai faced accusations of not including some parts of the country in his appointment of cabinet ministers, as representatives from at least eight counties were not included in positions within the new government. According to Nyan G. Flomo, a representative from Nimba county, Boakai did not promote national unity and integration. On 22nd March 2024, supporters from the Nimba Unity Party threatened to protest over not being appointed to government positions.
#LIBERIA 🇱🇷 - Law enforcement officers beat journalist Kesselee Sumo unconscious. @pressfreedom asks authorities to investigate: https://t.co/smvuVpgtjB
— IFEX (@IFEX) April 1, 2024
Expression
On 29th March 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement on the assault and arrest of Kesselee Sumo, a journalist with the private radio station - Radio Fuamah. The incident took place on 11th March 2024, as two officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and a magistrate’s court sheriff, assaulted and arrested Sumo, using excessive force that led to injuries and the journalist losing consciousness. According to CPJ reporting on the incident, the journalist faced charges under the penal code, allegedly related to a 7th March 2024 broadcast of Sumo’s daily programme, where he alleged that a magistrate, Linda Sulonteh, had unjustly detained two community leaders.
MONROVIA - Liberia's new defence minister on Monday resigned from his post just 10 days after being appointed, following a protest by soldiers' wives, the presidency said. https://t.co/tSjR8yMGFD
— VOA Africa (@VOAAfrica) February 12, 2024
Peaceful Assembly
According to media reports, army wives and widows protested in February 2024 over corruption within the military, which has impacted the receipt of military-related benefits. Protests included road blockades in the capital Monrovia and other cities. The protests led to the resignation of the former Minister of National Defense Charles Johnson. Subsequently, the government appointed the first female minister, Geraldine George, to this role.