The Committee of Concerned Scientists has called on Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio to ensure the safety and academic freedom of Dr. Chernoh Alpha M. Bah, a prominent scholar and editor-in-chief of the Africanist Press, who faces harassment and death threats allegedly linked to his work exposing corruption and human rights issues in Sierra Leone.
In a recent letter, the committee, an independent group of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom globally, expressed alarm over Dr. Bah’s inability to conduct essential archival and oral history research in Sierra Leone due to ongoing threats. Dr. Bah, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, specializes in the history of medicine, law, and economics in West Africa, focusing on Sierra Leone’s colonial period. His role at the Africanist Press, a platform critical of corruption, is believed to be the source of the intimidation.
The letter, signed by distinguished academics including Joel L. Lebowitz of Rutgers University and Walter Reich of George Washington University, urges President Bio to confirm Dr. Bah’s right to return to Sierra Leone without fear of retribution or prosecution. It also demands an investigation into the threats against him and clarity on the government’s actions to address them. The committee emphasized that Dr. Bah should be free to meet with family, friends, and colleagues in the country.
The appeal comes from Sierra Leone’s $480 million agreement with the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation, signed under the previous administration. The committee highlighted Sierra Leone’s obligation to improve its human rights record and combat corruption, rather than targeting scholars like Dr. Bah, whose work aligns with these goals.
“We are deeply concerned that a scholar of Dr. Bah’s caliber is unable to pursue his research due to threats,” said Professor Alexander Greer of The City University of New York, a signatory. “Sierra Leone must protect academic freedom and address these serious allegations.”
The letter was also sent to U.S. Ambassador Bryan David Hunt in Freetown, signaling international attention to the case. The Committee of Concerned Scientists stated it will closely monitor developments.
Previously a Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University’s Chabraja Center for Historical Studies, Dr. Bah has not commented publicly on the matter. The Sierra Leone government has yet to respond to the committee’s requests. As the situation unfolds, the global academic community watches closely, advocating for Dr. Bah’s safety and the broader cause of scholarly freedom in Sierra Leone.
