According to the lawyers representing Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo and his sons, the family has initiated a hunger strike to protest what they describe as “acts of torture and barbarity” inflicted upon them.
After being ousted in a military coup last August, Mr. Bongo, along with his sons Jalil and Bilal, found themselves confined to their residence in Libreville, the capital.
Furthermore, the ruling junta detained Mr. Bongo’s wife Sylvia and their eldest son Noureddin, who are currently awaiting trial on corruption charges.
In a recent statement, their legal team alleged that Noureddin had endured severe mistreatment, including torture with various instruments and electrocution with a taser.
They also claimed that Sylvia had been subjected to physical assault and forced to witness Noureddin’s suffering.
The BBC reached out to Gabonese authorities for their response to these accusations.
Ali Bongo, aged 64, had been at the helm of the oil-rich nation since 2009, succeeding his father, who held power for over four decades.
The family’s legal representatives disclosed that they have filed a complaint with the Paris judicial court, ahead of a scheduled visit to France by Gabon’s junta leader Gen Brice Oligui Nguema.
