Ivory Coast Opposition Decries 'Arbitrary Arrests' Amid Election Tensions

Dakar, Aug 4 (AP) – The African Peoples' Party–Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI), a major opposition party in Ivory Coast, has criticized what they describe as the “arbitrary arrests” of six party members. This claim comes amid a larger crackdown following the exclusion of significant rivals to President Alassane Ouattara's bid for a fourth term.

Sébastien Dano Djédjé, executive president of the PPA-CI and party of former President Laurent Gbagbo, stated during a press conference on Sunday that the members were “abducted and taken to unknown locations” during the night from Saturday to Sunday.

Among those detained are party members from Youpougon, a suburb of the capital Abidjan. This area experienced violence just days before, with armed individuals setting a bus on fire and attacking the police, Djédjé noted.

In response, Interior Minister Vagondo Diomandé shared a video on a television news broadcast on Sunday. The footage featured a man, identifying as a PPA-CI member, confessing involvement in the attack and claiming he acted with 15 others on behalf of the party.

Diomandé asserted that the confession was obtained legally, contradicting PPA-CI allegations of illegal detentions. “In our country, no arrests are made arbitrarily,” he said. “The ministry ensures due legal proceedings for all offenses, ending the era of summary and arbitrary detentions that once marred our nation.”

The PPA-CI firmly condemned the bus attack and denied any involvement.

The presidential election in Ivory Coast is scheduled for October 12. President Ouattara, who has been in power since 2011, is anticipated to continue his tenure facing minimal opposition amidst a weakened political landscape.

There is growing dissent in the West African nation, driven by the exclusion of key opposition figures from the electoral process, including the PPA-CI's Laurent Gbagbo and Ouattara's most notable competitor, Tidjane Thiam.

Historically, elections in Ivory Coast have been marked by tension and unrest. Following Ouattara's announcement for a third term in 2020, several individuals lost their lives during related violence.

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