- Rights Group flags growing human rights violations in Liberia
The Panoramic Justice Group (PJG) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as a growing pattern of human rights violations, judicial overreach, and abuse of state authority in Liberia, with particular focus on the treatment of former First Lady Mrs. Comfort Thelma Duncan Sawyer and other detainees.
In a strongly worded public statement released on Tuesday, PJG formally petitioned the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) and appealed to both domestic and international institutions to urgently intervene in defense of due process, constitutional governance, and the rule of law.
PJG said Mrs. Sawyer, a former First Lady, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and long-serving public servant, has been subjected to what it termed "speculative accusations, incomplete investigations, and prolonged legal limbo without proper indictment or trial."
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"To date, Mrs. Sawyer is indicted yet remains untried and [her] case file is without attention and assignment; the state appears either unwilling or unable to proceed to trial," the statement said, noting that such circumstances violate Article 21 of Liberia's 1986 Constitution and applicable regional and international human rights instruments.
According to the organization, Mrs. Sawyer and others were arrested approximately five months ago during early-morning dawn raids, a method PJG argues is typically reserved for violent offenders or individuals considered a high flight risk.
The group alleged that Mrs. Sawyer was denied immediate access to legal counsel and quickly transferred to the Monrovia Central Prison, where she was detained alongside convicted criminals, a situation PJG described as "grossly disproportionate, unnecessary, and contrary to common decency."
PJG emphasized that the treatment was especially troubling given Mrs. Sawyer's age, fragile health condition, public standing, and the non-violent nature of the allegations against her.
The organization maintained that these actions violate fundamental rights guaranteed under Liberia's Constitution and international conventions, including the right to human dignity, the right to prompt access to legal counsel, and the presumption of innocence.
PJG also criticized the state's conduct following Mrs. Sawyer's approved medical travel abroad, which authorities had granted to allow her to seek urgent medical treatment.
"Upon her lawful return to Liberia, the state chose not to proceed with prosecution," the statement said. "Instead, it initiated a separate proceeding, resulting once again in her incarceration for an even longer period."
Of particular concern, PJG cited reports that state actors threatened to disregard a valid Criminal Appearance Bond granted by the Honorable Judge of Criminal Court "B" at the Temple of Justice, warning that such actions undermine judicial independence and the authority of the courts.
Five months after her initial arrest, the organization said Mrs. Sawyer remains in detention without a clear path toward adjudication, noting the absence of a timely arraignment or a transparent prosecutorial roadmap.
"This prolonged uncertainty amounts to punitive detention without conviction, which is constitutionally impermissible and internationally condemned," PJG stated, adding that the case sends a chilling signal to the wider public.
"If a former First Lady, senior diplomat, and elderly woman can be treated in this manner, then no Liberian citizen is safe from similar abuse," the group warned.
Beyond the Sawyer case, PJG expressed alarm over broader allegations of torture, cruel treatment, and abuse of detainees by elements of the security apparatus, allegedly occurring within what it described as a climate of fear and impunity.
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The statement named several senior government officials as subjects of "grave allegations involving the abuse of state power to suppress dissent," asserting that the pattern of accusations suggests systemic abuse rather than isolated misconduct.
PJG cautioned that if these alleged abuses go unchecked, Liberia risks eroding its hard-won post-war democratic gains, particularly as the country moves toward the 2029 general elections.
"This matter transcends any single individual," the statement concluded. "It speaks to the state of the rule of law in Liberia, the sanctity of judicial authority, and the credibility of Liberia's human rights commitments. Silence in the face of such treatment would amount to acquiescence. Human rights are not negotiable. Justice must not be selective."
