Claude Pivi, a key figure in the 2009 Conakry stadium massacre and a former minister under Moussa Dadis Camara’s junta, died in custody on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Guinean judicial authorities confirmed that Pivi, who was 66 years old, passed away at the Almamy Samory Touré military hospital after falling into a hypoglycemic coma. Pivi’s death follows a tumultuous final chapter for the former colonel, who was sentenced in July 2024 to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. He was found responsible for a commanding role in the September 28, 2009, massacre, where security forces brutally suppressed an opposition rally, resulting in at least 157 deaths and over 100 cases of sexual violence against women.
The prosecutor general’s office noted that Pivi suffered from long-term health complications, including chronic diabetes, hypertension, and gout. His condition deteriorated rapidly on January 4, 2026, reportedly due to non-compliance with his medical regimen, leading to his emergency transfer from Coyah Central Prison to intensive care. A forensic autopsy has been ordered to officially determine the circumstances surrounding his death.