Freetown, Sierra Leone – March 6, 2026 – A prominent women’s rights organization in Sierra Leone has issued a public call for the immediate review of bail denial in the case of Zainab Sheriff, who remains in custody following her arrest last month.
The statement, released on International Women’s Day, highlights concerns over fairness, proportionality, and the protection of constitutional rights amid growing global attention to women’s justice issues.
Legal Access Through Women Yearning for Equality Rights and Social Justice (L.A.W.Y.E.R.S.), a Freetown-based advocacy group, expressed deep concern over Sheriff’s ongoing detention in a notice dated March 6, 2026. Sheriff, who was taken into custody on February 20, 2026, is currently held at the Female Correctional Centre at the Special Court of Sierra Leone.
The organization noted that she first appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department at the Sierra Leone Police and has since been remanded.
“The refusal to grant Ms. Sheriff bail and her continued detention raises serious concerns about proportionality, fairness, and the protection of constitutional rights,” the notice states.
L.A.W.Y.E.R.S. emphasized the timing of the case, coinciding with International Women’s Day 2026 and the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). This year’s CSW theme, “Rights, Justice and Action for all Women and Girls,” along with Sierra Leone’s commitments to governments, institutions, and communities to stand up, speak up, and ensure women and girls can live safely and equally under the law, forms the backdrop for their appeal.
As an organization dedicated to advancing equal access to justice and protecting the rights of women and girls, L.A.W.Y.E.R.S. believes the case underscores the need for renewed commitment to fair treatment before the law.
“We believe this moment calls for renewed commitment to the principles of fair treatment before the law, protection of women’s voices, and the safeguarding of fundamental rights,” the group said.
In their call to action, L.A.W.Y.E.R.S. urged relevant judicial authorities to take three specific steps:
1. Review the decision denying bail, taking into account the provisions of the Bail Regulations 2018.
2. Ensure that Ms. Sheriff’s constitutional rights are fully respected and protected.
3. Uphold the principle that pre-trial detention must remain an exceptional measure rather than the norm.
The organization clarified that their intervention is not intended to interfere with the judicial process but to reaffirm the importance of due process and equal justice under the law.
“As the world calls for rights, justice and action for all women and girls, we urge that these principles be reflected in practice by ensuring that Ms. Zainab Sheriff is granted bail pending the determination of her case,” the notice concludes.
L.A.W.Y.E.R.S., headquartered in Freetown, has been a key player in promoting legal access and social justice for women in Sierra Leone. Contact details provided in the notice include phone numbers and an email for further inquiries.
