By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
CHRDI Boss, Abdul Fatoma
The Chief Executive of Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), Abdul Fatoma, has raised concerns over the recently enacted National Counter-Terrorism Act of 2024, stating that the law was drafted and passed without adequate citizen involvement.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Concord Times at his Wilkinson Road office in Freetown, Fatoma revealed that his organization only became aware of the bill through social media.
He noted that civil society organizations (CSOs) were neither directly nor indirectly involved in any stage of the bill’s drafting, post-drafting, or parliamentary hearings.
Fatoma emphasized that CSOs are particularly concerned because the Act addresses issues related to human rights. He stressed that when security institutions work on legislation, they must involve human rights experts to ensure that the law is balanced, protecting both alleged perpetrators and law enforcement officers.
“That is why we always advocate for the security sector to collaborate with human rights bodies and adopt a rights-based approach when executing their operations. Unfortunately, that was largely absent in this process. As an organization, we are deeply concerned that the Act lacks national and expert involvement,” he stated.
He further explained that CHRDI, known for its advocacy in social accountability and human rights, was completely excluded from the legislative process, along with several other civil society groups.
While acknowledging that the Act is necessary for protecting Sierra Leone’s sovereignty and its people, Fatoma pointed out that certain provisions within the law raise concerns. He argued that the government should have involved citizens in discussions about the legislation to ensure that it serves the interests of the people rather than working against them.
He specifically highlighted that the Act addresses restrictions on freedoms such as assembly, expression, and movement but fails to align these provisions with human rights standards. He also noted that while the right to life is crucial, other fundamental human rights must also be safeguarded.
Fatoma revealed that after learning about the bill, CHRDI reached out to Parliament, only to be informed that the bill was already in its final stage for passage and that nothing further could be done.
“We did not engage the Office of the Attorney General. However, the government must understand that they are not drafting laws for themselves but for the people of this country. Laws should serve and protect citizens, not be used against them,” he asserted.
Fatoma disclosed that CHRDI intends to conduct a thorough review of the Act and present its findings to the public. The organization plans to highlight contentious provisions and formally communicate its concerns to the government.
“Our goal is to advocate for laws that genuinely protect citizens and uphold their fundamental freedoms, not laws that infringe on their rights,” he concluded.
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the Parliament of Sierra Leone passed the National Counter-Terrorism Act of 2024, with some amendments establish the National Counter-Terrorism Coordination Committee, define terrorism-related offenses, enforce measures on terrorist financing and assets and prohibit financial support for terrorism.
Despite those objectives, CHRDI insists that greater transparency, citizen involvement, and human rights considerations should have been incorporated into the law-making process.
