Press Release  Posté le 14:34 25-08-2023, modifié le 14:34 25-08-2023 par Tournons La Page

Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of state institutions in charge of the electoral process,
Ladies and Gentlemen, decision-makers and law enforcement officers,
Members of the defense and security forces,
Distinguished diplomatic representatives,
Representatives of development partners,
Representatives of civil society organizations,
Dear fellow citizens,
Friends of Gabon,

With two days to go before the general elections of August 26, 2023, we would like to begin our statement by reading out two provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

First, an extract from its preamble, which states in its 3rd recital :

"that it is essential that human rights be protected by the rule of law so that people are not compelled, as a last resort, to revolt against tyranny and oppression".

Then in its article 5, that :

"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatments or punishments".

As a reminder, since its admission to the United Nations, Gabon has been committed to promoting the aims and principles set out in the United Nations Charter (1945), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and other international human rights instruments. With this in mind, Gabon has signed up to the main international legal instruments; These include the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1983), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984), the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2002), the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2007), the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2011), the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1986).

The rights and freedoms protected by all these legal instruments are also guaranteed by the Constitution of the Gabonese Republic, whose preamble "solemnly affirms its attachment to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as they result from the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of 1981 and the National Charter of Freedoms of 1990".

This "constitutional bloc" recognizes the equality of citizens before the law, as well as the fundamental rights of citizens to freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of movement, freedom of association and trade union freedom. It also recognizes the "democratic" nature of the Gabonese Republic, and the fact that the sovereignty of the State belongs to the people.

Respect for fundamental rights is an obligation for everyone, including citizens and other non-state actors, as well as representatives of the state, notably the judiciary and members of the defense and security forces responsible for overseeing public demonstrations. Respect for the principles of non-violence and fundamental rights by all is essential for the maintenance of peace in our country.

Unfortunately, the conclusions of the investigations carried out and recorded in the report published by Gabonese civil society with the support of Tournons La Page international demonstrate the recurrence of human rights violations committed and the dynamic of shrinking civic space at work in Gabon, which has accelerated since the 2016 presidential election. Between August 2016 and August 2023, there will have been at least 864 arbitrary arrests, 12 demonstrations banned or repressed, 13 newspapers suspended and 34 days of Internet blackouts; all these facts constitute restrictions on civic space.

Knowing that civic space refers to "the environment that enables citizens to play a role in the political, economic and social life of their country. More specifically, civic space enables individuals and groups to contribute to the development of policies that affect their lives, notably by accessing information; [by] initiating dialogue; [by] expressing disagreement; [by] joining together to express their point of view".

Indeed, Gabon's ratification of a dozen international treaties and its acceptance of 230 recommendations during four sessions of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR 2008, 2012, 2017, 2023) might lead one to believe that civic space in Gabon is favorable to democratic expression; alas, in reality we see that it is increasingly severely restricted. The provisions of law no. 001 of August 3, 2017 on public meetings and demonstrations, like those of law no. 006 of June 30, 2020 on the Penal Code, bear witness to a severe tightening of sanctions against various forms of democratic expression, making universal non-violent citizen protest actions virtually impossible.

It also happens that the lack of electoral transparency and the narrowing of civic space systematically engender, at each presidential election, a rise in social tensions manifested by acts of civil disobedience and attempts at popular uprising, which are violently repressed with allegations of loss of human life, enforced disappearances, arrests and torture.

Between maintaining order and respecting fundamental freedoms, there is an urgent need for the forces of law and order to strike a virtuous balance.

To date, despite Gabon's international commitments, no effective measures have been taken to guarantee the fundamental rights of citizens during election periods, nor to conduct independent investigations into allegations of human rights violations.

In view of the above, the hardening of the legal corpus, and the worrying signs of tension that are beginning to multiply across the country, the Tournons La Page movement and the Coalition of civil society organizations in the human rights sector in Gabon call the international community and Gabon's international partners to witness, appeal to the population to remain calm, and invite the Government of the Republic to ensure that all state actors respect the commitments made by the Gabonese Republic in terms of human rights.

At a highly critical and decisive turning point in the history of the African continent, it is more crucial than ever that our country, Gabon, remains anchored in peace. And it so happens that, at this point in our common march, a transparent electoral process and respect for the truth of the ballot box are the surest guarantees of maintaining this peace. The recent experiences of Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad and, more recently, Niger should teach us a lesson.

Today, each of us, each of you, finds ourselves alone in the face of our responsibilities to history, and will have to answer for our choices and our actions.

Yes, we can choose peace, which to a large extent depends on respect for the truth of the ballot box. This is a shared truth.

For their part, the civil society organizations taking part in this declaration, with the support of the 250 member organizations of Tournons La Page international and REDHAC, will, from this day forward, monitor and take all measures provided for by national and international human rights instruments, in the event of any violation of the fundamental rights of citizens being observed or reported before, during and after the general elections of August 26, 2023.

Thank you for your attention,
For the Tournons La Page movement and the Coalition des OSC du secteur des Droits de l'Homme au Gabon
Spokesperson Coordinator
Nathalie Zemo Efoua
President of Réseau Femme Lève-Toi (ReFLeT)

Libreville, Thursday August 24, 2023