Announces Another Protest as he welcomes the State Department’s Report
Monrovia, Liberia – The Enough is Enough Protest Coalition, a broad-based alliance led by the Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND) and WE THE PEOPLE Movement, has welcomed the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Liberia, which confirms widespread human rights abuses, systemic corruption, and the failure of the Boakai administration to uphold democratic governance.
The report delivers a damning indictment of President Joseph Boakai’s first year in office, exposing the emptiness of his so-called “Rescue Agenda” and highlighting the government’s inability—or unwillingness—to break Liberia’s cycle of impunity. Despite lofty promises, the administration has presided over worsening economic hardship, unchecked police brutality, and a culture of corruption that continues to suffocate ordinary Liberians.
While prices soar, hospitals collapse, and unemployment deepens, President Boakai has embarked on extravagant foreign trips, including a 23-to-40-person delegation to Japan, squandering taxpayer dollars on what critics call a “reckless junket” that yields no tangible benefits for the Liberian people. This blatant hypocrisy stands in stark contrast to Boakai’s past condemnations of wasteful government spending, further eroding public trust in his leadership.
Police Brutality and State-Sponsored Abuse
The U.S. report specifically condemns the Gregory Coleman-led Liberia National Police (LNP) for grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture. These findings reinforce STAND’s longstanding demand for the immediate dismissal of the Inspector General to restore integrity and public confidence in Liberia’s security forces.
Perhaps most alarming are credible allegations from senior officials of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), which suggest high-ranking government involvement in the narcotics trade. This shocking revelation demands an urgent, independent, and internationally monitored investigation, in line with Liberia’s obligations under the U.N. Convention Against Corruption and ECOWAS protocols.
The U.S. report documents a disturbing pattern of abuses, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, suppression of press freedom, gender-based violence, and systemic discrimination. These violations contravene Liberia’s Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, underscoring the government’s failure to protect its citizens.
December 17: The Final Showdown
In response to the Boakai administration’s refusal to address the demands of the July 17 “Enough is Enough” protests, coupled with the U.S. report’s explosive findings, the Coalition has declared Phase II of its nationwide resistance movement, set to culminate in a mass protest on December 17, 2025.
Unlike the July 17 demonstrations, the December protest will converge at the Executive Mansion, asserting the people’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly. The Coalition has also established a 15-member Citizens Engagement Board (CEB), representing all 15 counties, to mobilize nationwide support, engage stakeholders, and finalize a strategic roadmap for the movement.
The Coalition issues a clear warning: any attempt to block, intimidate, or violently suppress peaceful protesters will be met with unyielding resistance. The movement will not retreat until the Boakai administration either delivers meaningful reform or steps aside.
