Gabonese diaspora in Paris protests against current regime, citing political detentions and restrictive laws
via Gabon Review2 min read
A collective of Gabonese expatriates, supported by the organization Gab’Action, has called for a peaceful gathering in front of the Gabonese embassy in Paris on Saturday, April 25, at 12 PM. The initiative, widely publicized through a poster on social media, highlights isolated detainees, laws deemed repressive, and a political climate reminiscent of the Bongo era. The chosen location is significant, as it was from this same Parisian area in September 2016 that over two thousand members of the Gabonese diaspora began years-long marches to the embassy on Avenue Raphaël, demanding the departure of Ali Bongo after a contested presidential election. This time, the organizers point to two emblematic cases: activist Bob Mengome, alias “Matricule 212,” who his relatives say is deprived of visits and care, and Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, president of the EPG and former Prime Minister, who was arrested without summons by masked men, placed in pre-trial detention, and is now, according to his party, in total isolation, with no contact with his family or lawyers since his incarceration. Eloïse Bouanga, spokesperson for the collective, stated that the government of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is turning the law into a deterrent weapon, citing the reform of the nationality code and new provisions governing digital space. She added that a simple share on social media can now lead to prison, with sentences up to ten years and fines up to 50 million FCFA. The Gab’Action poster on Facebook ca
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