The daughter of a Calgary woman imprisoned in Sierra Leone since December is pleading with Canadian officials to ensure her mother’s safety, claiming she is being starved and beaten in the Freetown prison where she is being held.
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Hawa Hunt, 43, was arrested on live television in Sierra Leone on Dec. 22 in relation to a video she shared on social media in May 2023 in which she criticizes Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio and first lady Fatima Bio.
A dual citizen of Canada and Sierra Leone, Hunt travelled to Freetown last fall to participate in the second season of reality TV show House of Stars, quickly gaining public support in voting by the show’s fourth week.
Her arrest came after the video resurfaced online.
The mother of three, who has lived in Calgary for the past 10 years, faces two counts of “transmitting insulting messages via a computer system” under Sierra Leone’s Cybersecurity and Crime Act 2021. Prosecutors claim the video incited public disorder and damaged the reputation of the president and first lady.
Hunt’s 20-year-old daughter describes growing fears for her mother’s safety, as her time in a Freetown prison approaches the two-month mark.
“My mom has confirmed that she does get regularly beaten by prison guards,” said Alicia Hunt, 20, of Calgary.
Since securing a proper lawyer for her mother, Alicia says she has been able to speak with her via video calls, during which Hunt has described experiencing “inhumane” conditions and abuse at the Pademba Road Prison.
“Her living conditions have been just awful,” the 20-year-old adds. “She was sleeping on a dirt floor for a long time . . . The rooms are all six feet by nine feet, but usually hold around 25 people each, which means people are piled on top of each other trying to sleep.”
Hunt also told her daughter she is forced to use a communal bucket in lieu of a toilet in the cell, and described “a very bad bedbug and mosquito problem,” according to Alicia, who believes her mother’s health is “at very high risk” due to the conditions.
Hunt also told her daughter she receives limited rations, and the food she does get often makes prisoners sick.
Alicia says her mother’s face appears “sunken in” — sparking concerns that she is being starved.
Two days after her arrest, Hunt appeared in a video apologizing to the president and stating that she was being treated well by police while in custody.
Alicia says she was “highly suspicious” of the video.
“Why is my mom . . . all of a sudden allowed to do a (media) interview, but her direct family isn’t allowed to speak to her (at the time)?” she said. “I do believe my mom was under duress in that video.”
Alicia says she reported her mother’s claims to Global Affairs Canada, but questions whether appropriate action has been taken.
“I have made multiple reports to Global Affairs regarding these abuse claims, including sexual-abuse rumours,” Alicia said. “Every time, I was not told of any action Global Affairs would take and instead told to wait for the Canadian Embassy to respond to me, no matter the sense of urgency of these claims.”
In an emailed statement to Postmedia Calgary, Global Affairs Canada said it is “aware of the arrest of a Canadian Citizen in Sierra Leone.”
“Consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular service. Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed,” the statement said.
Global Affairs did not confirm its knowledge of reports relating to Hunt’s treatment while being detained in Sierra Leone.
Alicia Hunt says she has also sent her concerns about her mother to her MP, Len Webber, who directed her to contact the embassy, she said.
“I’ve been feeling very scared,” Alicia said, adding that she is also helping her 16-year-old brother cope with their mother’s detention.
Besides the mounting fears, frustrations and legal fees, Alicia says she is also “just missing my mom.”
While understanding that her mother’s statement in the video might have broken Sierra Leonean law, Alicia says this does not justify any abuse in custody.
Hunt has been denied bail multiple times, and a no-case submission from her lawyer dated Jan. 20 has been rejected by a judge, with her case now moving to Sierra Leone’s high court, her daughter said.
As Hunt’s detention appears likely to continue, Alicia describes having “very low” confidence that the Canadian embassy will take action to ensure her mother’s safety while she awaits her next hearing.
“(The embassy) needs to do more than just check in on if she’s alive, which is kind of the bare minimum, in my opinion,” she said.
Hunt’s case has sparked international human-rights concerns, with Amnesty International calling for her release and for authorities in Sierra Leone to observe guarantees for due process in line with international standards.
Michèle Eken, senior researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa office, said in a news release dated Jan. 30: “A criminal defendant may be detained pending trial only when necessary and proportionate to their offences, and non-custodial arrangements such as bail, should be preferred.
“Amnesty International has already expressed its concern about the law used to prosecute Hawa Hunt — the Cybersecurity and Crime Act 2021. Several cases of possible violations of the right to freedom of expression under the Cybersecurity and Crime Act have previously been reported. Offences such as libel and defamation should be decriminalized. Sierra Leonean law should be brought into line with the country’s international human-rights obligations,” Eken said.
The Canadian Embassy in Sierra Leone and the office of Calgary MP Len Webber did not immediately respond to Postmedia requests for comment.