Public statement  Posté le 15-03-2021 15:45, modifié le 15-03-2021 15:46 par Tournons la Page

Since October 13, 2020, Gabon has been a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, despite a poor index of freedom in the world in 2020, which places our country in the "State not free" category, with a score of 22/100, including 3/40 in political rights and 19/60 in civil liberties. With this election, national opinion expected Gabon to demonstrate exemplarity, so as not to betray the trust placed in it by the United Nations.

Recent events concerning human rights violations tend to demonstrate that our country is far from willing to adhere to the principles of human rights. The recent arbitrary arrest of citizens who had initiated and/or taken part in a peaceful demonstration consisting of banging on a casserole for five minutes from their homes, with a view to drawing the authorities' attention to the risks associated with the restrictive measures taken for over a year as part of the COVID-19 response, is a case in point. Peaceful manifestations during which, it should be remembered, two citizens were shot dead in their neighborhoods during curfew hours.

TOURNONS LA PAGE, an international organization for the promotion of democracy and human rights, condemns the arbitrary arrests and detentions which have sanctioned the casseroles movement and of which several people are victims, including: Philippe Arsène OWONO, Gaël KOUMBA AYOUNE, Jeff BLAMPAIN, Dimitri OMBINDA and OFFAMAN. These arrests were made in violation of article 1 paragraph 2 of our fundamental law, which states: "Freedom of conscience, thought, opinion, expression and communication, and the free practice of religion, are guaranteed to all, subject to respect for public order" and paragraph 23 "No one may be held in custody or placed under a committal order if he presents sufficient guarantees of representation, subject to security and procedural requirements". Peacefully expressing disagreement with a measure, even one taken by the Government of the Republic, in no way constitutes a disturbance of public order.

TOURNONS LA PAGE, committed to the respect of fundamental freedoms, calls on Gabon, a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and on all international partners to work for the respect of fundamental freedoms in our country, by publishing the list and releasing all those arrested in connection with this peaceful demonstration, and to shed full light on the shooting during curfew hours of two citizens, Gildas ILOKO and Djinki Derick EMANE MVONO. In view of the growing number of human rights violations, the international coalition TOURNONS LA PAGE will take all necessary steps to ensure that only the law is applied and that a climate of true peace is preserved in Gabon, for the benefit of all without exception.

Libreville, March 15, 2021

Marc ONA ESSANGUI, President, Tournons La Page (TLP) International

Nathalie ZEMO-EFOUA, TLP Gabon Coordinator