Key facts
- A 17-year-old from Guinea, Mamadou Djouma Bah, died after being jailed for exam cheating.
- His father alleges inadequate medical care in detention contributed to his death from sickle cell complications.
- The teenager was caught using a phone during a national exam and sentenced to one month in prison.
- Human rights groups are demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances of his death.
- Students protested the detention of classmates, advocating for their release.
Mamadou Djouma Bah, a 17-year-old from Guinea with sickle cell disease, died days after being arrested for using his phone during the national school-leaving exam. His father, Mamadou Saliou Bah, claims his son did not receive adequate medical care in detention and is calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Bah was accused of using his phone during the baccalaureate exam on July 15. He was subsequently convicted of cheating and sentenced to six months in prison, with five months suspended. He was serving the remaining one month in a prison in Kindia when his health deteriorated.
The teenager was transferred to the regional hospital, where his father visited him and reported his son saying, "Dad, I'm dying." Officials stated he was discharged from the hospital and died at home. Sickle cell disease, common in people of African descent, is caused by a faulty gene affecting red blood cells, leading to painful episodes and increased risk of infections or anemia.
Guinea's Education Minister Alpha Bacar Barry expressed sadness and offered condolences. Human rights organizations are also calling for an independent investigation. On Wednesday, students demonstrated, demanding the release of their detained classmates, with Bah's father emphasizing that "A student should not be sent to prison."