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.
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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