Gabon's Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Arrested by Junta
Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, the former Prime Minister of Gabon and a prominent opposition figure, has been arrested by the country's security forces. His political party, Ensemble pour le Gabon (EPG), announced that agents from the General Directorate of Investigations (DGR) detained him at his home in Libreville. The party condemned the arrest as arbitrary and brutal, violating the rule of law. Authorities reportedly cited an unpaid debt of five million Central African francs ($8,999) from 2008, related to the National Cultural Festival, as the reason for the detention. Bilie-By-Nze served as the last prime minister under former President Ali Bongo Ondimba before being ousted in the August 2023 military coup. He recently finished second in Gabon's first post-coup election, losing to junta leader Brice Oligui Nguema. The EPG has called on the government to respect democratic principles and international commitments, urging authorities to act responsibly to ensure a peaceful political framework amidst rising tensions between the opposition and the ruling military junta.
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Gabon's Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Arrested by Junta
Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, the former Prime Minister of Gabon and a prominent opposition figure, has been arrested by the country's security forces. His political party, Ensemble pour le Gabon (EPG), announced that agents from the General Directorate of Investigations (DGR) detained him at his home in Libreville. The party condemned the arrest as arbitrary and brutal, violating the rule of law. Authorities reportedly cited an unpaid debt of five million Central African francs ($8,999) from 2008, related to the National Cultural Festival, as the reason for the detention. Bilie-By-Nze served as the last prime minister under former President Ali Bongo Ondimba before being ousted in the August 2023 military coup. He recently finished second in Gabon's first post-coup election, losing to junta leader Brice Oligui Nguema. The EPG has called on the government to respect democratic principles and international commitments, urging authorities to act responsibly to ensure a peaceful political framework amidst rising tensions between the opposition and the ruling military junta.
AP News