Guinea: Claude Pivi, ex-security chief convicted over 2009 stadium massacre, dies

Claude Pivi, a former Guinean colonel and minister responsible for security, passed away on Tuesday, Dec 19, 2025. Pivi, also known as Coplan, was convicted of crimes against humanity related to a massacre at a stadium in Conakry in 2009.

Details of the 2009 Conakry Stadium Massacre

The incident in September 2009 involved tens of thousands protesting against the military junta led by Moussa Dadis Camara, which had taken control the previous year. Security forces responded with severe violence, resulting in at least 156 fatalities and numerous injuries. Additionally, at least 109 women were reported to have been subjected to sexual violence.

Claude Pivi was sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia in 2024. He was initially broken out of prison in 2023 but was extradited from Liberia and returned to custody later in 2024.

Moussa Dadis Camara, who also escaped during the 2023 prison break, was recaptured and subsequently found guilty of crimes against humanity. He received a 20-year sentence but was granted a presidential pardon by current leader Mamadi Doumbouya in March 2025.

Based on reporting by Africanews.