The African People’s Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PPACI), led by former president Laurent Gbagbo, has accused authorities of intensifying a campaign of intimidation against the opposition. The party said on Sunday that two senior members — former defence minister Moise Lida Kouassi and ex-ambassador Boubacar Kone — were placed in pre-trial detention on Friday.
They are accused of involvement in violent unrest on the sidelines of a protest last week, allegations the party has strongly denied. Prosecutors say the unrest in Abidjan’s Yopougon district saw a bus torched and a police vehicle vandalised by men wielding machetes, firearms, and petrol bombs.
Authorities report that eleven suspects were arrested over the violence, which occurred hours after thousands peacefully rallied against President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a constitutionally disputed fourth term. The demonstration, organised by the PPACI and the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), passed without incident before the later outbreak of unrest.
PPACI leaders claim the arrests are politically motivated, part of a broader pattern of repression, and have demanded the immediate release of all detained members. Party officials also allege that six activists were “kidnapped” last weekend and remain missing, warning of worsening judicial and political harassment.
Ouattara’s decision to run again has reignited debate over term limits, which were originally capped at two before a 2016 constitution reset the count. Gbagbo, a long-time rival, was barred from contesting after a domestic conviction linked to the 2010–2011 post-election crisis that claimed more than 3,000 lives.
He was later acquitted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court but remains a polarising figure in Ivorian politics. With elections looming, critics say the government’s actions threaten to inflame political tensions and undermine the credibility of the democratic process.
