Key facts
- Guinea-Bissau's military court ordered opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira back to prison.
- Pereira, a former Prime Minister, was released in February after being detained following a coup.
- He is now accused of involvement in an alleged coup attempt in October 2025.
- Pereira's family denies the allegations and expressed concern for his safety.
- A new election is scheduled for December 6.
Domingos Simoes Pereira, a prominent opposition leader and former Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, has been returned to prison following a decision by the country's military court. His family informed Reuters that the move occurred last Friday. Pereira, who leads the PAIGC party, had been released in February by the ruling junta in an apparent effort to appease the West African regional bloc ECOWAS. He had been under house arrest on suspicion of economic crimes.
According to an emailed statement from his family, military leaders now accuse Pereira of playing a role in an alleged coup attempt scheduled for October 2025. The family has rejected these allegations, stating that Pereira has not been involved in any violent or unconstitutional acts. Pereira was initially detained on November 26, following a seizure of power by army officers just before the planned announcement of presidential election results.
The family has expressed concerns about Pereira's health and safety, noting that no trial date has been set. When approached for comment, a government spokesperson directed inquiries to the military court, which was unreachable. Guinea-Bissau's electoral commission was unable to complete last year's election following the coup, leading to a new poll being scheduled for December 6.