Detained Aid Worker Joseph Figueira Martin Freed in Central African Republic
Joseph Figueira Martin, a dual Belgian-Portuguese citizen and consultant for the American aid organization FHI 360, has been released after nearly two years of detention in the Central African Republic. His family confirmed to The Associated Press that he was freed on Tuesday and expected to arrive in Lisbon shortly. Martin was arrested in May 2024 in Zemio, a southeastern town plagued by long-standing conflict, on charges of spying, communicating with armed groups to plot a coup, and jeopardizing national security. During his imprisonment in a military facility, he initiated a hunger strike to protest detention conditions. While the Central African Republic government has not officially commented on his release, the case highlights increasing restrictions on foreign aid workers in regions where the military combats armed rebels. Since 2013, the nation has faced persistent instability involving ethnic militias and anti-government factions, despite a 2019 peace deal. The Russian mercenary group Wagner remains active in supporting President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s administration against rebel forces, contributing to the tense security environment that led to Martin’s arrest and prolonged captivity.
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Detained Aid Worker Joseph Figueira Martin Freed in Central African Republic
Joseph Figueira Martin, a dual Belgian-Portuguese citizen and consultant for the American aid organization FHI 360, has been released after nearly two years of detention in the Central African Republic. His family confirmed to The Associated Press that he was freed on Tuesday and expected to arrive in Lisbon shortly. Martin was arrested in May 2024 in Zemio, a southeastern town plagued by long-standing conflict, on charges of spying, communicating with armed groups to plot a coup, and jeopardizing national security. During his imprisonment in a military facility, he initiated a hunger strike to protest detention conditions. While the Central African Republic government has not officially commented on his release, the case highlights increasing restrictions on foreign aid workers in regions where the military combats armed rebels. Since 2013, the nation has faced persistent instability involving ethnic militias and anti-government factions, despite a 2019 peace deal. The Russian mercenary group Wagner remains active in supporting President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s administration against rebel forces, contributing to the tense security environment that led to Martin’s arrest and prolonged captivity.
AP News