Six members of the African People’s Party of Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), including high-ranking officials, were arrested over the weekend in what the party has called a politically motivated crackdown. The opposition group, led by former president Laurent Gbagbo, strongly condemned the arrests.
The detentions followed violent incidents on August 1st in the Yopougon district of Abidjan. A city bus was torched, a police vehicle was vandalized, and officers were reportedly assaulted by unidentified individuals. Authorities have not disclosed the whereabouts of the detained individuals. The government insists that all arrests are lawfully conducted.
Tiédé Gervais, the party’s Secretary General and Deputy Spokesperson, alleged that the arrests target activists involved in promoting Gbagbo’s candidacy for the October 2025 presidential election. He claimed the six were actively gathering citizen sponsorships for the former president and described the situation as an obvious political trap.
Meanwhile, President Alassane Ouattara recently announced his intention to run for a fourth term, a move that has intensified criticism from opposition figures. In June, four prominent opposition leaders, including Gbagbo, were excluded from the official electoral roll, sparking further accusations of manipulation.
Gervais accused the current administration of orchestrating a “sham election” to maintain power, referencing what he described as similar tactics employed during past elections. Calls for electoral reform have persisted among opposition groups but have yet to yield results.
