GOL welcomes 2023 Human Rights Report on Liberia, but

By Kruah Thompson 

Monrovia, Liberia, April 26, 2024—The Government of Liberia welcomes the U.S. Department of State’s 2023 Human Rights Report on Liberia but notes that many of the issues outlined in the report occurred under the Weah administration.

The U.S. Government recently released its 2023 Human Rights Report on Liberia, which highlighted significant abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful killings, torture, harsh prison conditions, lack of judicial independence, and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Giving the government’s response at MICAT regular press briefing on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Monrovia, Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah welcomed the report but stressed that most of the issues mentioned therein happened during President Weah’s tenure.

“It is important to note that the report covers 2023, and while it is true that the government is in continuity, there was a different regime in 2023.” He noted.

According to him, as a government, they are obligated to address some of the issues highlighted, but they would consider the report’s findings and contents to take the appropriate actions.

While the 2023 Human Rights Report found no significant changes in the country’s human rights situation during the year 2023, it reveals a troubling trend for Liberia, particularly as the Boikai administration strives to garner international partners’ and donors’ attention for investment.

Minister Piah further underscores the government’s responsibility to address ongoing concerns and improve human rights conditions in the country.

Meanwhile, as mandated by the United States Congress every year since 1977, the U.S. State Department annually examines tracks. It documents the state of human rights in nearly 200 countries and territories worldwide. 

International instruments support the collection of these reports, giving the State Department the right to carry out its operations. 

However, these reports, known as the Human Rights Report (HRR), are drawn from various credible, fact-based sources, including reporting from government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and media. 

Minister Piah stresses that the Boakai Administration intends to consider the report’s findings seriously and address human rights concerns accordingly. Editing by Jonathan Browne