Disability rights organizations in Liberia have accused the Liberia National Police (LNP) of what they described as “violent and unlawful” brutality against persons with disabilities during an incident at the Ministerial Complex in Oldest Congo Town on December 3, 2025, barely hours after the country marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Reading a joint press statement at the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD) office, disability advocate Perkins Boye said officers allegedly used teargas and batons on unarmed persons with disabilities who had gathered at the complex and later requested transportation assistance to return home.
According to the statement, several individuals were beaten, arrested, and detained at the Zone 4 Police Depot, while others sustained serious injuries requiring urgent medical attention.
The statement, issued jointly by NUOD, the Center for Disabilities Rights International (CEDRI), Professional Advocates for Disabilities Inclusion (PADI), and the University of Liberia Association of Students with Disabilities (ULASD), detailed extensive damage to assistive devices, including broken wheelchairs, smashed crutches, and walking aids, leaving many victims stranded and dependent.
The groups also disclosed an unconfirmed report that a visually impaired woman may have died days after the incident from injuries allegedly linked to the police action, a claim they say warrants immediate and independent investigation.
The organizations described the incident as a gross violation of Liberia’s Constitution and its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), citing breaches of the rights to equality, liberty, freedom from torture, and protection from violence.
They have formally petitioned the Independent National Human Rights Commission, the Inspector General of Police, and the Ministry of Justice, demanding transparent investigations, full accountability for all officers involved, medical care and compensation for victims, and institutional reforms within the police.
Beyond the police action, the groups sharply criticized the silence of major civil society and faith-based institutions, calling it “selective advocacy” that undermines human dignity. “Human rights are not conditional on donor interest,” the statement read, warning that failure to confront the abuse sets a dangerous precedent for the treatment of all vulnerable groups.
Calling for national solidarity rather than confrontation, the organizations stressed that the December 3 incident is not merely a disability issue but a national human rights concern.
They urged the government to act swiftly and credibly, warning that how the case is resolved will test Liberia’s commitment to justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
