-Female Lawyers Assos. describes ill-treatment of Women In Sinoe County
By Mark N. Mengonfia, menginfia@gmail.com
The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has described as “savage and barbaric” the recent ill treatment perpetrated against few females in Liberia’s Southeastern Sinoe County.
Three women, one of whom died later, were stripped naked, tortured and paraded recently, as seen in a leaked video that went viral on the Social Media during the week.
In a statement issued in Monrovia this week, AFELL’s President Atty. Vivian Neal said her group condemns in the strongest terms the “barbaric and inhumane act”, calling on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice without delay.
Such act, she said is “uncivilized and diabolical.”
Reports from Sinoe this week said nine persons have been arrested and charged by the Justice Ministry in connection with the incident.
Atty. Neal said, “this act is totally inconsistent with the status of a civilized nation in 21st century.”
The AFELL President said she received the news on the humiliation of the women with utter shock and dismay.
AFELL said that the action taken against the women is a classic example of entrenched discrimination against women in the society.
“Moreover, the incident highlights the fact that mob justice is being practiced still in the Liberian society,” the AFELL President asserted.
The head of the Female Lawyers Association of Liberia further said, “it appears that some of our people are not aware that traditional and customary practices which infringe upon the fundamental rights of the individuals, example presumption of innocence; right to security and integrity of the person, etc. are subordinate and inconsistent with the constitution of Liberia.”
“That is why trial by ordeal, another harmful customary practice was declared unconstitutional by the supreme court of Liberia many years ago,” Atty. Neal concluded.