Gabon’s deposed President, Ali Bongo, and his two sons have refused to eat in protest against allegations of “acts of torture and cruelty,” their lawyers say.
Mr. Bongo was ousted in a military coup last August shortly after winning a disputed presidential election. He was then placed under house arrest in the capital, Libreville, along with his two sons, Jalil and Bilal.
The military also detained his wife, Sylvia Bongo, and their eldest son, Noureddin, in prison, awaiting trial on corruption charges.
In a statement, their lawyers claimed that Noureddin and Sylvia were beaten and hanged while in detention. They also allege that Noureddin was tortured, beaten with whips, and “even shocked with a taser.”
The ousted president, aged 64, had led the oil-rich country since 2009, succeeding his father who had been in power for over 40 years.
The family’s lawyers also say they have filed complaints in a Paris court, one week before Gabonese government leader Brice Oligui Nguema’s visit to France.
– BBC
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