Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

Mixed (common law and customary law)Unitary presidential republicReviewed· 2026-08-03

Capital: Freetown
Population: 8,600,000
Languages: English, Krio
Currency: SLE

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Sierra Leone · Rights

Rights in Sierra Leone

What the atlas records on rights in Sierra Leone, checked against the primary sources cited below.

Rights

No comprehensive data protection statute; sectoral rules and a cybersecurity act apply

Indexed· 2026-08-03

Sierra Leone has not enacted a general data protection law. Personal data is addressed indirectly through the Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act 2021, the constitutional privacy guarantee, and sectoral banking and telecommunications rules, so there is no data protection authority or general lawful-basis requirement.

Key rules

Jurisdiction — No dedicated authority; High Court under s.28 for constitutional privacy claims; sector regulators for their licensees.

Governing law

Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act, 2021 — Criminal offences and investigatory powers; not a data protection framework.
Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (s.22 — Privacy of home and correspondence.)

In practice

The atlas records the absence of a general regime as the material fact. The Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Act 2021 criminalises unauthorised access, interception and data interference and creates investigatory powers, but it is a criminal statute rather than a data protection framework: it does not establish processing principles, data subject rights or a supervisory authority. Section 22 of the Constitution protects the privacy of home and property and correspondence, enforceable under s.28. The Bank of Sierra Leone imposes customer confidentiality duties on financial institutions, and NATCOM regulates telecommunications operators including some subscriber data obligations. Drafting of a comprehensive data protection bill has been reported in successive digital strategy documents but no Act is in force, so cross-border transfer restrictions and breach notification duties of the GDPR type do not apply.

Sources

Rights

The 1991 Constitution, restored after the civil war, with a dual system of general and chiefdom governance

Reviewed· 2026-08-03

The Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991 survived the 1991-2002 civil war and remains in force. It provides a presidential system with a unicameral Parliament that includes twelve Paramount Chiefs, and it preserves customary law in the provinces alongside the general law of the Western Area.

Key rules

Jurisdiction — Supreme Court of Sierra Leone exclusive original jurisdiction on constitutional matters; Court of Appeal and High Court below; local courts in the provinces.

Governing law

Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991) — s.28 enforcement; s.171(15) supremacy.
Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act, 2023 — 30% quota for women in public and private employment and candidate lists.

In practice

The 1991 Constitution was suspended during the war years and restored thereafter; the Constitutional Review Committee reported in 2017 but comprehensive amendment has not been enacted, so the 1991 text with limited amendments governs. Section 171(15) declares the Constitution supreme. Chapter III rights are justiciable through the Supreme Court under s.28, which has exclusive original jurisdiction over constitutional questions, while chapter II fundamental principles are non-justiciable. The territorial dualism is central: the Western Area (Freetown) is governed by the general law, while the provinces operate under a chiefdom administration in which Paramount Chiefs exercise recognised authority and local courts apply customary law. Twelve Paramount Chiefs sit as members of Parliament. The 2022 Public Elections Act changed the parliamentary electoral system, and the 2023 Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act reserved 30% of public and private sector positions and candidate slots for women, an unusually strong quota in the region.

Sources

Rights

Chapter III rights, a post-conflict Human Rights Commission, and full abolition of the death penalty

Reviewed· 2026-08-03

Chapter III of the 1991 Constitution guarantees justiciable rights enforced by the Supreme Court under s.28. The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone was created in 2004 on the recommendation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the death penalty was abolished for all offences in 2021.

Key rules

Jurisdiction — Supreme Court under s.28; Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone; African Commission; Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Governing law

Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, chapter III and s.28 — Justiciable rights; Supreme Court enforcement.
Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act, 2004 — Created on TRC recommendation; A-status NHRI.
Abolition of the Death Penalty Act, 2021

In practice

Sierra Leone's human rights architecture is shaped by the civil war and its aftermath. Chapter III protects life, liberty, fair hearing, private and family life, conscience, expression, assembly, association, movement and property, with an enforcement action in the Supreme Court under s.28. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 2004 report led to the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act 2004, establishing an A-status national institution with investigation, monitoring and public inquiry powers, and to the Special Court for Sierra Leone, whose completion of the Charles Taylor and RUF/AFRC/CDF trials left a residual mechanism and a body of international criminal jurisprudence on forced marriage and child soldiers. Full abolition of the death penalty in 2021 and the repeal of criminal libel in 2020 are the most significant recent advances. Continuing concerns recorded in monitoring reports include prison conditions, female genital cutting (not criminalised as such), and the criminalisation of same-sex conduct under inherited legislation.

Sources

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