\n Lawyers for Guinea's ex-dictator Moussa Dadis Camara said Thursday they would appeal his conviction for crimes against humanity over mass killings and rapes at a 2009 political rally.\n<\/p>\n
\n A court found Dadis Camara, 59, guilty on Wednesday and sentenced him to 20 years behind bars following a landmark trial.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"The collective rejects this decision as a whole and to mark its disagreement intends ... to appeal this unjust judgement so that it is censured by the court of appeal,\" his group of lawyers said in a statement.\n<\/p>\n
\n It said that during the nearly two-year trial, Dadis Camara had never \"been heard or required to explain the elements constituting the crime against humanity\".\n<\/p>\n
\n The former head of Dadis Camara's protection unit, Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite who was also sentenced to 10 years, will appeal, his lawyer Lancine Sylla said in a statement on Thursday.\n<\/p>\n
\n Just before Dadis Camara's sentencing, the court in the capital Conakry announced the charges would be classified as crimes against humanity.\n<\/p>\n
\n The verdict marked \"the end of a 15-year fight to seek the truth and justice for the victims\", said the president of the victims' association AVIPA.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Our fight will not stop here, we will continue to work so that every victim receives reparations and so that such events never occur in Guinea ever again,\" she said.\n<\/p>\n
\n On September 28, 2009, and in the following days, members of Dadis Camara's presidential guard, soldiers, police and militia suppressed an opposition rally at a stadium in the Conakry suburbs.\n<\/p>\n
\n At least 156 people were killed, hundreds more wounded and 109 women raped, according to a UN-mandated commission of inquiry.\n<\/p>\n
\n Only 57 bodies have been recovered, according to the families and human rights organisations.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 'A landmark moment' -\n<\/p>\n
\n The ex-junta chief was found guilty \"based on the responsibility of the upper hierarchy\", the court president said.\n<\/p>\n
\n He was also convicted of having planned to suppress the demonstration and failed to punish those who carried it out.\n<\/p>\n
\n Seven other defendants were handed sentences of up to life imprisonment over the massacre.\n<\/p>\n
\n The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) welcomed the verdict.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"The judgement marks a landmark moment in establishing the truth behind the 28 September 2009 events and bringing to account those bearing the greatest responsibility for the atrocities committed,\" the ICC said in a statement.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Guinean judges sent a clear signal that no-one is above the law.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n UN rights chief Volker Turk said it was crucial to continue the fight against impunity in Guinea and work to shed light on \"the full facts and responsibilities\" around the incident.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"After nearly 15 years, the victims, survivors and their families have the right to full justice and transparency,\" the UN high commissioner said in a statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lawyers for Guinea's ex-dictator Moussa Dadis Camara said Thursday they would appeal his conviction for crimes against humanity over mass killings and rapes at a 2009 political rally. A court found Dadis Camara, 59, guilty on Wednesday and sentenced him to 20 years behind bars following a landmark trial. \"The collective rejects this decision as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-134859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n