Monrovia, Liberia – The civil society organization Under The Palava Hut has accused the Liberia National Police (LNP) of intimidating the civil rights advocacy group STAND ahead of its planned peaceful protest, scheduled for July 17, 2026.
In a press release issued on July 16, 2026, the organization strongly condemned what it described as the government’s continued harassment of STAND, alleging that police impounded a vehicle being used to publicize the upcoming demonstration.
According to Under The Palava Hut, the LNP’s explanation that the vehicle was impounded because of mechanical defects is merely a pretext to suppress a constitutionally protected peaceful assembly.
“The right to assemble and peacefully protest is guaranteed under Liberia’s Constitution. Actions that discourage or obstruct citizens from exercising that right undermine democratic governance and public accountability,” the statement said.
The organization further alleged that the incident reflects a broader pattern of intimidation against STAND. It claimed that the group’s headquarters was set ablaze by unidentified individuals last year and that its leader was physically assaulted by police officers, adding that no comprehensive investigations have been conducted into either incident.
Under The Palava Hut also criticized the Liberia National Police’s July 15 public statement regarding the matter, accusing the government of becoming increasingly intolerant of dissent despite having previously exercised the right to protest while in opposition.
The organization called on the United States, the European Union, ECOWAS, and other international partners to closely monitor what it described as a growing pattern of state intimidation against civil society organizations in Liberia.
It urged the Liberian Government to uphold constitutional freedoms by protecting citizens’ right to peaceful assembly rather than restricting it.
As of press time, the Liberia National Police had maintained that the vehicle was impounded because of alleged mechanical deficiencies and had not publicly responded to the additional allegations raised by Under The Palava Hut.
The claims contained in the organization’s statement are allegations made by Under The Palava Hut and have not been independently verified by this publication.
