MONROVIA, Montserrado – Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe of the Supreme Court of Liberia has issued a citation to Justice Minister Musa Dean and the Council of Patriots, the organizers of the pending June 7 protest, for a conference on Monday, June 3.

Nagbe, who is serving as the justice-in-chamber, noted that the citation is in reference to a petition for a writ filed by the Citizens United for Sustainable Peace and Development through its legal representative, Dempster Brown of the Center for the Promotion of Human Rights.

The group wants the court to compel Dean to grant permission for the June 7 protest and designate a specific venue for the exercise to take place. The petitioners also requested that the court ask the protesters to be clear on their intentions and objectives for the protest.

According to the petitioners, granting the June 7 protesters the permit to go ahead with their action is a guarantee of their rights under the constitution.

The group said they believed that the failure of the Justice Ministry to grant the protesters permission and designate a venue for them to gather and present their petition to their government will lead to major roadblocks, thus preventing free movement of people who may not necessarily be protesters. Such action, according to them, also violates the rights of other citizens to move freely.

The petition further states that as minister of justice, Musa Dean is also a member of the country’s joint security team that has the moral responsibility to safeguard security, public order, and regulate the exercise of people’s freedoms, which are guaranteed by the constitution.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah