The Economic Community of West African States has called on Guinea-Bissau’s military-led authorities to immediately and unconditionally release detained political figures, including opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira.
The appeal came at the end of an ECOWAS summit of heads of state in Sierra Leone, according to a statement issued late Monday.
The regional bloc said freeing political detainees would help strengthen confidence in Guinea-Bissau’s transition process.
The country’s current authorities seized power in a coup in November 2025 and adopted a one-year transitional charter the following month.
Pereira, a former prime minister and leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, known as PAIGC, was returned to prison on July 10, according to his family.
He had initially been detained on the day of the coup before being transferred to house arrest in February, in a move widely seen as an attempt to ease pressure from ECOWAS.
Authorities have accused Pereira of economic crimes and involvement in an alleged coup attempt in October 2025. He has denied the allegations.
ECOWAS said Guinea-Bissau is expected to hold a constitutional referendum on August 30, followed by general elections on December 6, 2026.
However, the military-led government has not formally confirmed the election timetable.
A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Pereira’s detention.