U S State Department

GUINEA-BISSAU 2016 HUMAN RIGHTS Report U S State Department

government led by President Jose Mario Vaz and Prime Minister Baciro Dja of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC). Vaz took office in 2014 after an election judged to be free and fair by international observers. The country has endured prolonged PAIGC intraparty political turmoil since the August 2015 dismissal of Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira and the subsequent dismissal on May 12 of Pereira's successor, Carlos Correia. Unlike in prior years, the government maintained civilian authority over the security forces. Serious human rights abuses included arbitrary detention; official corruption exacerbated by government officials' impunity and suspected involvement in drug trafficking; and violence and discrimination against women and children.