Lawyers representing the family of former Gabonese president Ali Bongo Ondimba have criticised France for its “silence” over the alleged torture of his wife and son during what they describe as a “cruel and illegal detention.”
Sylvia Bongo, a French citizen, and her son Noureddin have been in custody since an August 2023 coup ousted the Bongo dynasty, which had ruled Gabon for more than 50 years. The coup brought military leader Brice Oligui Nguema to power.
The 62-year-old former first lady and her 33-year-old son face charges of corruption, embezzlement, and forging the former president’s signature.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, their lawyer, Catalina de la Sota, accused French authorities of failing to act despite being made aware of their situation.
“The French authorities have been informed and yet they kept a dramatic silence,” she said. “They are French nationals, the authorities have the duty and the obligation to ensure their rights,” she added.
Another lawyer, François Zimeray, accused Gabon’s government of using France’s lack of response to manipulate public perception.
Nguema, who is preparing for Gabon’s presidential election on April 12, has publicly denied claims of mistreatment. In an interview with Radio France Internationale and France 24 last week, he dismissed allegations of torture.
However, Bongo’s lawyers insist that Noureddin shows physical signs of abuse, while Sylvia has suffered psychological torture, allegedly to pressure them into confessions and the forfeiture of assets.
While the former president remains in his residence in Libreville and is officially “free to leave the country,” his son Jalil claims he is under house arrest and constant surveillance.
Zimeray alleged that Sylvia and Noureddin are being held in a basement beneath the presidential palace, only allowed brief monthly visits with the French consul general.
He also accused Gabonese authorities of illegally seizing multiple Bongo family properties and assets, including luxury villas, business holdings, and bank accounts in Gabon and Dubai. He added that real estate in Marrakech, gifted to Ali Bongo by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, was also confiscated.
The French government has not yet responded to the legal team’s demands for intervention.
