🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
EPG denounces political operation in Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze's arrest, demands immediate release
via Gabon Review2 min read
Ensemble pour le Gabon EPG has strongly reacted to the arrest and incarceration of its president, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, during a press briefing in Libreville on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The party denounces the instrumentalization of justice for political ends, warning of a deviation from the rule of law and calling for the unconditional release of its leader. According to Aimé Mapangou, EPG's Secretary General, the facts cited in the case date back to 2008 and do not justify current legal action, asserting that "no political or even legal news can explain such a procedure." EPG views this arrest as occurring while the true concerns of Gabonese citizens remain unaddressed, accusing the government of targeting opponents instead of national emergencies. Aimé Mapangou stated, "Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze is today a political prisoner. The conditions of his arrest and the violations of his fundamental rights clearly engage the responsibility of the authorities." The political party calls for national and international mobilization, denouncing a "serious deviation from the rule of law" and demanding immediate respect for defense rights and the unconditional release of its president. The EPG highlights that Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze has been critical of the concentration of powers under the new Constitution, the weakening of the separation of powers, and infringements on public liberties. The party claims the arrest is part of a broader climate of restrictions on freedom of exp
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