United Nations human rights experts have formally raised concerns with the Government of Sierra Leone over the arbitrary detention, judicial harassment, and intimidation of the Executive and Finance Directors of Lifeline Nehemiah Projects (LNP), a civil society organization based in eastern Freetown, Sierra Leone.
As highlighted in a formal communication published on June 23, the reprisals against the two human rights defenders and the wider community are occurring in the context of a Ministry for Social Welfare’s project funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the government of India.
From the beginning, this project has been plagued by controversies and human rights violations. Sierra Leone’s authorities have been trying to violently force LNP off their land under the pretext of creating a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.
The situation escalated in October 2025, when police officers arrested several LNP staff members and beneficiaries, beat two young people with metal chains, and fired tear gas indiscriminately into the compound. The family of a two-day-old baby begged the police to stop, but their pleas were ignored and the baby choked to death as a result of the tear gas.
Since then, there have been a series of arrests and some further incidents related to the UNDP-funded project. In December 2025, Prince Williams (LNP’s Executive Director) was arrested and then released on bail three days after. He has since been summoned 16 times to court, on charges of ‘riotous conduct’, disorderly behaviour’, incitement of violence’ and ‘throwing stones’. Mohamed Turay, LNP Finance Director, was arrested on February 14 and released on bail after one week. He has appeared in court 11 times and he is facing charges of ‘incitement’ and ‘obstruction of police duty’. Both human rights defenders are facing a trial marred by irregularities, as the authorities seem to be intentionally delaying the proceedings because of lack of evidence against them. One of the key witnesses had initially claimed to be a community stakeholder, but under cross-examination he admitted being appointed by the Ministry of Social Welfare. He died suddenly in April.
Another suspicious incident occurred on May 1, when a fire erupted in the Pademba Road settlement, resulting in the death of an eight-year-old girl. The Ministry of Social Welfare initially proposed immediately relocating the community in the new UNDP-funded buildings within the LNP compound. However, as these were not ready yet, families were instead relocated to some Ministry for Social Welfare’s lodgings in a nearby area. Rumours have circulated that an Indian investor has recently purchased the land where the Pademba Road settlement was located. After the fire, the houses were immediately raised to the ground and construction of new buildings has already begun, with soldiers guarding the site.
Despite the ongoing harassment of LNP staff members and the growing evidence of serious violations linked to this project, the UNDP has so far failed to take decisive action. While it has started some internal investigations and has technically put the project on hold, construction within the compound is still ongoing and LNP staff continue to face pressure and criminalization.
« This case is a stark warning of what happens when repeated alarm bells are ignored, » says Mark Fodor, coordinator of the Defenders in Development campaign. « UNDP had been informed that one of its projects was being implemented on disputed land – legally owned and occupied by LNP – and that police were violently attacking and arresting those resisting land-grabbing. Yet, despite its accountability mechanism initiated an investigation and the Stakeholders Response Mechanism is monitoring the situation, UNDP has not withdrawn from the project. UNDP should immediately suspend any support for the project, ensure the land is returned to LNP, and only re-start activities in land where government ownership is clearly established and free of dispute. They should also call on the Sierra Leone authorities to immediately cease attacks and criminalization of LNP staff and supporters, and urge the project implementers to leave LNP’s land.”
About Lifeline Nehemiah Projects and the land dispute
Credit: LNP
Founded in 1992, LNP is a Sierra Leonean civil society organization that supports children, people with disabilities, women, girls and other vulnerable groups through education, vocational training, mentoring, health initiatives, and community development programmes.
During the Sierra Leone civil war, LNP supported more than 2,000 children affected by conflict. Today, it operates programmes across multiple districts in Sierra Leone and provides services to more than 1,000 people daily from its Kuntorloh compound, through its educational activities, a community-based blood donation program, a shelter, and a home for young people.
« The team at LNP has continued to provide excellent care to their beneficiaries, in spite of this oppression by the authorities », says Jamie Singleton, Director at Lifeline Network International. « Today, LNP serves over 1000 beneficiaries per day at their compound. Back in April they celebrated 30 years of serving the nation. Standing up for justice on this matter is one more way LNP is seeking to strengthen the nation. »
In the 1990s, it was the Ministry of Social Welfare itself who provided LNP with a lease for the land. In 2020, LNP formalized its documentation, secured a freehold from the Ministry of Lands, and registered with the Lands administrator’s office.
Since then, however, several parties have sought to claim ownership of the compound. In February 2025, the High Court of Sierra Leone issued an interim injunction against three defendants, due to repeated attempts of encroachment. Despite the injunction and the ongoing court case, in September 2025 the Ministry of Social Welfare announced plans to construct a rehabilitation center on the site. In November, the LNP asked the court to include the Ministry of Social Welfare and Minister Melrose Kaminty as defendants in the High Court case. The case is still pending and has been adjourned with various pretexts.
In a worrying attack against freedom of expression, in February 2026 the Law Officers Department, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Social Welfare, issued a “gagging order” to prevent LNP and associated individuals from publishing information relating to the ongoing land ownership litigation.
The UN and international organizations are sounding the alarm
In their official communication dated 24 April 2026, four UN special procedures mandate holders have expressed concern that the targeting of Prince Williams and Mohamed Turay appears to be directly linked to their peaceful human rights work and advocacy. The signatories include Mary Lawlor, former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression; Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
In particular, the UN experts questioned the legal basis for the prosecutions and requested detailed information from the Government regarding how the charges are compatible with Sierra Leone’s international human rights obligations. The communication also highlights repeated delays in the proceedings, noting that hearings have been repeatedly adjourned because complainants failed to appear and present evidence.
The UN experts formally requested that the Government of Sierra Leone provide information on: the factual and legal basis for the criminal cases against Prince Williams and Mohamed Turay; measures taken to protect the two human rights defenders and other LNP members, as well as steps to ensure that defenders in the country can carry out their work without fearing reprisals; and the Government’s response to allegations of arbitrary detention, attacks, and threats against LNP staff and beneficiaries. The government had one month to respond. Yet, despite the deadline having passed, it has yet to publicly respond to the concerns raised.