Dr. Chernoh Alpha M. Bah, Postdoctoral Associate at Brown University, cannot return to West Africa to continue his historical research for fear of retribution by the Sierra Leone government and its allies. The government appears to be targeting his Africanist Press for exposing alleged corruption and financial crimes. The Committee is asking Secretary Rubio to intervene
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May 5, 2025
Julius Maada Bio
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
State House of Sierra Leone
State Avenue, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Phone: +23278888099/+23280084736
X: @julius_maadabio
E-mail: wonibee@gmail.com & info@statehouse.gov.sl
His Excellency, President Bio:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are writing in regard to Dr. Chernoh Alpha M. Bah, a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Africa Initiative of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, where he specializes in the history of medicine, law, and economics in West Africa, especially during the colonial period and in Sierra Leone. Previously, he was a graduate student of history and later a Postdoctoral Fellow in Public Service at the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies (CCHS) at Northwestern University. He is also the editor-in-chief of the Africanist Press, which has published frequently on corruption and human rights issues, including in Sierra Leone. As a historian, it is essential that he be able to conduct required archival and oral history research on the ground, and yet, he is unable to due to repeated harassment and death threats made against him, apparently for his work in the Africanist Press.
With the signing of the $480 million United States Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement with Sierra Leone under the previous administration, Sierra Leone has a responsibility to make sure these funds are not wasted and to improve its human rights record and fight corruption, rather than penalize scholars such as Dr. Bah. Therefore, we request that your government confirm the right for Dr. Bah to return to Sierra Leone and to continue both his scholarly work as well as his work with the Africanist press without fear of retribution or criminal prosecution. Additionally, we request that your government of Sierra Leone investigate and address threats made against Dr. Bah and explain what it has done so far. He should be allowed to meet with family, friends, and colleagues in the country.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
CC:
Ambassador Bryan David Hunt
United States Embassy
Freetown
Sierra Leone