Mr Abdourahamane Sanoh, Mr Ibrahima Diallo, Mr Sékou Koundouno, Mr Mamadou Baïlo Barry, Mr Alpha Soumah, Mr Abdoulaye Oumou Sow and Mr Mamadou Bobo Bah were arrested on 12 October 2019, when they had called for demonstrations starting on 14 October to protest against the constitutional reform that would allow President Alpha Condé to run for a third consecutive presidential term in 2020. The defendants' place of detention remained unknown for more than 24 hours, during which time they were denied access to their families and lawyers.

The defendants' trial began on 16 October 2019, before being adjourned to 18 October. Mr Sékou Koundouno and Mr Ibrahima Diallo both told the judge that they had been kidnapped during a meeting at the home of Mr Abdourahamane Sanoh, by armed men wearing balaclavas, who took them to ‘villa 26’, the base of the Guinean Intelligence Service, as well as to the premises of the Mobile Intervention and Security Company (CMIS) number 5 in Dubréka and to the premises of the CMIS in the Cimenterie. Mr Ibrahima Diallo also claimed to have been subjected to ill-treatment during his detention: for example, he had to spend his first night in detention on a chair, had his wedding ring torn off and refused food brought to him by his wife.

On 22 October 2019, the Dixinn Court of First Instance in Conakry sentenced Mr Abdourahamane Sanoh to one year's imprisonment. Ibrahima Diallo, Sékou Koundouno, Mamadou Baïlo Barry and Alpha Soumah were sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Abdoulaye OumouSow and Mamadou Bobo Bah were acquitted by the court. The defence lawyers appealed, as did the prosecutor, who had requested the maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment.

On 28 November 2019, the Conakry Court of Appeal ordered their conditional release at the request of the defence lawyers. They were released the same day from Guinea's central prison.