Cote d’Ivoire - August 2025

On 11 August, Ivorian authorities charged 11 members of former President Laurent Gbagbo’s African People’s Party–Côte d’Ivoire (Parti des peuples africains–Côte d'Ivoire, PPA-CI) with ‘terrorist acts’ and ‘conspiracy against state authority’. The charges relate to a 1 August attack in Abidjan’s Yopougon suburb, where a bus was burned and a police vehicle vandalised. The accused include prominent figures such as former Defence Minister Lida Kouassi and a retired ambassador—both known critics of President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a fourth term in the October 2025 presidential election. Prosecutors allege they orchestrated the unrest, but the PPA-CI condemned the violence and denied any involvement, calling the arrests politically motivated. PPA-CI officials have raised concern over arbitrary detentions and due process violations, noting the lack of publicly available evidence. The arrests come amid a broader crackdown on opposition, with leading figures like Tidjane Thiam still barred from contesting. Thousands later protested peacefully in Yopougon demanding their reinstatement on the electoral roll.

Sources: International Crisis Group, Jenue Afrique (1), Jeune Afrique (2), The Africa Report, Associated Press, Barron’s, International IDEA