Gabon urged to prioritize torture prevention in political reforms by OMCT and civil society

Published on April 21, 2026, during the 84th session of the United Nations Committee Against Torture, the report urges Gabonese authorities to make torture prevention a central priority in ongoing political reforms. The organizations, which also include the Centre for Study and Support for Local Development and the Faith, Culture and Education Network, argue that current institutional transformations offer a crucial opportunity to strengthen the rule of law and align Gabon with its international commitments, particularly the Convention Against Torture. The report details recurring allegations of torture and ill-treatment in prisons, police stations, and security service detention centers, citing testimonies of beatings, prolonged incommunicado detention, and pressure to extract confessions.

These abuses are reportedly facilitated by insufficient procedural guarantees, such as limited access to lawyers and inadequate judicial oversight, as well as the existence of unofficial or poorly regulated detention sites. The report also revisits the post-electoral violence of August 2016, accusing security forces of excessive force and mass arrests, and criticizes the lack of independent investigations, which fosters impunity. Concerns are also raised abou