WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a forceful and symbolic show of international solidarity, the U.S.-based Panoramic Justice Group has formally endorsed the July 17 “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” protest in Liberia, describing the planned nationwide demonstration as a defining moment in the country’s struggle for justice and democratic renewal. In a statement issued on Thursday, July 11, 2025, Executive Director Dr. D. Garkpe Gedepoh, a retired U.S. Marine, described the protest as “a collective stand for justice, dignity, and the reclamation of a nation held hostage by elite impunity and failing institutions.”
Panoramic Justice, an international accountability and anti-impunity watchdog, said the protest being spearheaded by Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), WE THE PEOPLE Movement, and a coalition of civil society and youth groups, is a righteous outcry from a citizenry long betrayed by those in power. The group directly criticized the administration of President Joseph Boakai, accusing it of presiding over a regime marked by broken promises, democratic backsliding, and moral decay.
“Under President Boakai, Liberia has become a symbol of broken promises and democratic collapse,” the group said. “The soaring cost of living, unconstitutional appointments, tenure violations, economic mismanagement, and entrenched corruption are not just governance failures; they are national and moral crises.”
In response, Panoramic Justice announced it has begun mobilizing its global advocacy network to press for targeted sanctions against Liberian officials allegedly complicit in abuses of power, corruption, and human rights violations. The group said it is engaging the United States government, the European Union, ECOWAS, the United Nations, and other international bodies to investigate and apply pressure on those undermining Liberia’s democratic foundations.
Central to its call for international action is a demand for a joint investigation into top Liberian officials linked to alleged human rights abuses and violations of U.S. and international law. Panoramic Justice specifically cited serious allegations involving National Security Adviser Samuel Kofi Woods, Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman, and Minister of Justice Oswald Tweh. The three are accused of torturing Andrew Lawson and Albert Weah into making false confessions about the Capitol building fire. Additionally, the group said security officials attempted to recruit a man named John Nyanti to fabricate stories in connection to the same incident, but he refused to cooperate.
Panoramic Justice also pointed to the continued influence of U.S.-sanctioned individuals within the current administration, highlighting that Cllr. Varney Sherman, an ally of President Boakai, has taken on the role of legal counsel for the legislative majority bloc, despite clear international guidance discouraging official dealings with sanctioned persons.
“These allegations raise serious questions about human rights violations, the erosion of democratic institutions, and the deliberate shielding of corrupt networks,” the statement said. “This is not simply a domestic matter. These actions carry international legal implications.”
Panoramic Justice vowed to work with key U.S. agencies including the Department of Justice, Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure accountability. It emphasized that the U.S. has a proven record of prosecuting human rights abusers, including those accused of torture and coercion, and pledged to seek legal avenues for prosecution and financial sanctions.
In a region increasingly plagued by coups and creeping authoritarianism, Panoramic Justice warned that Liberia’s decline into unchecked impunity must not be tolerated by the international community. “The stakes are too high to remain silent,” Dr. Gedepoh said. “Liberia cannot afford to slide deeper into crisis while the world looks away.”
Calling on all defenders of democracy at home and abroad, Panoramic Justice urged Liberians to rise in peaceful protest and let their voices be heard. “Let the world know: Liberia’s democracy is not for sale, and the people will no longer be silent.”
Like this:
Like Loading…
