Acharnement judiciaire contre l’organisation Lifeline Nehemiah Projects
Le 19 mai 2026, une audience devant le tribunal de première instance contre Mohamed Turay et Prince Tommy Williams, membres de Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP), a été ajournée en raison des interventions intempestives des avocats du plaignant. L'avocat de la défense a demandé l'ajournement du procès afin de garantir un procès équitable à Mohamed Turay et Prince Tommy Williams, et de les protéger contre toute forme d’acharnement judiciaire. Les autorités ont accusé Prince Tommy Williams d’avoir participé à des émeutes, d'incitation à la violence et de jets de pierres, et Mohamed Turay d'entrave à une opération de police. Les deux défenseurs font l'objet de poursuites dans le cadre de procès distincts. Comme l'a signalé Front Line Defenders dans une précédente déclaration, ces défenseurs des droits humains semblent faire l'objet de poursuites et être pris pour cible par les autorités sierra-léonaises en raison de leur action pacifique en faveur du LNP et de ses bénéficiaires à Freetown.
Prince Tommy Williams est défenseur des droits humains et directeur exécutif de Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP), une organisation de la société civile qui œuvre pour les droits des personnes vulnérables, notamment les enfants, les femmes et les personnes en situation de handicap. Il a été l'un des bénéficiaires du LNP dans les années 1990 et, au cours des 25 dernières années, il a occupé divers postes de direction avant de devenir son directeur exécutif en 2019. Il est également responsable de l'engagement et de la participation communautaires pour le groupe mondial de recherche sur la santé maternelle (CRIBS) au Kings College de Londres et membre consultatif chargé de l'engagement et de la participation communautaires pour le National Institute for Health and Care Research. Prince Tommy Williams est passionné par l'engagement et l'autonomisation des communautés. Il a pris les devants lors de l'épidémie d'Ebola en Sierra Leone, en collaborant avec le LNP, Medair et Oxfam pour mener des actions d'éducation communautaire, organiser des émissions de radio, soutenir les ménages mis en quarantaine et créer un centre de traitement Ebola dans l'un des épicentres de l'épidémie.
On 19 May 2026, a hearing before the Magistrates’ Court against Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP) members Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams was adjourned due to irregular interventions by the plaintiff’s lawyers. The defense lawyer requested the adjournment to ensure a fair trial for Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams, and protect them from further judicial harassment. The authorities have accused Prince Tommy Williams of riotous conduct, incitement of violence, and throwing of stones, and Mohamed Turay of the disruption of a police operation. Both human rights defenders face charges in separate trials. As Front Line Defenders reported in a previous statement, the human rights defenders appear to be prosecuted and targeted by the authorities in Sierra Leone due to their peaceful defence of LNP and its beneficiaries in Freetown.
Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP) is a civil society organisation supporting children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in Sierra Leone. Since 2020, the organisation has held a freehold title to its compound in Kuntorloh, Freetown from the Ministry of Land. Despite this legal ownership, the Ministry of Social Welfare declared in September 2025 its intention to construct a housing project for people with disabilities on LNP land, an initiative co-funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This initiative has triggered a conflict during which the authorities have disregarded court injunctions and legitimate land ownership, leading to a severe crackdown on those resisting the seizure.
Prince Tommy Williams is a human rights defender and the Executive Director of LNP. He has served the organisation for over 25 years, notably leading the community response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. Mohamed Turay is a human rights defender and the Finance Director of LNP. He manages LNP’s Agricultural Project and blood donation project, and advocates against gender-based violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, and for girls’ education.
On 19 May 2026, human rights defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams attended a hearing relating to their case at the Magistrates’ Court. A police officer, who was one of the key witnesses in the case and was allegedly involved in the violations against LNP staff and beneficiaries in October 2025, was present at the hearing. The Court had previously adjourned the proceedings several times, including on 25 February, 18 March and 25 March 2026, mainly due to the absence of this witness. The police officer testified and was then cross-examined by the defense lawyer. During the cross-examination, the plaintiff’s legal team frequently intervened, interrupting the proceedings and appearing to steer the witness’ answers. The defense lawyer considered these interventions irregular and unethical, and requested an adjournment in order to file a formal complaint with the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General regarding the misconduct of the plaintiffs’ legal team. The plaintiff’s legal team and the judge requested that LNP’s lawyer refrained from filing the formal complaint and the judge adjourned the trial to an indefinite date.
The judicial harassment of the two LNP members is just one example of the targeting they face for their legitimate efforts to protect the LNP's land and the services it provides to vulnerable individuals. Front Line Defenders has previously reported on reprisals against Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams, including arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment, physical violence and the demolition of LNP facilities. This has also led to severe violations against the LNP community, such as the killing of a two-day-old baby during a tear gas attack on a peaceful assembly in October 2025.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the latest developments in this case, particularly the conduct of the legal proceedings, which demonstrate an ongoing pattern of judicial harassment and an attempt to silence LNP defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams. Front Line Defenders also calls on UNDP representatives in Sierra Leone and West Africa, as a principal financial stakeholder of the project, to closely monitor these procedures.
Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Sierra Leone to:
- Immediately drop all charges against human rights defenders Mohamed Turay and Prince Tommy Williams, as they appear to be a reprisal for their legitimate and peaceful work defending human rights;
- Ensure fair and independent judicial proceedings, and cease all forms of judicial harassment;
- Ensure that no further human rights violations are committed against LNP staff and beneficiaries;
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Sierra Leone are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment.
