Civil society leaders on hunger strike in gendarmerie
Five Central African Republic civil society leaders are on a hunger strike in gendarmerie custody after being denied food and water by police.
Five Central African Republic civil society leaders arrested on October 15 in Bangui have begun a hunger strike at the gendarmerie. Their health is a concern for investigators, who are now angry with police colleagues. The leaders were detained by police for two days without food or water before being transferred to the gendarmerie in a weakened state.
The transfer of the five detained civil society leaders to the gendarmerie's Section de recherche et d’investigation (SRI) has angered several gendarmes. The detainees, including Quentin Claver Ngouando of the iGwé movement and Élysée Nguemale of the OGDC, are now refusing food and water in protest of their treatment.
The five individuals are Quentin Claver Ngouando, Élysée Nguemale, Stève Bendo Deny, Barry Mardios, and Igor Mokpem. Their detention and subsequent hunger strike highlight tensions between different branches of law enforcement and raise concerns about the treatment of civil society figures in the country.
Why it mattersCivil society leaders are affected by being arrested and denied basic necessities, leading to a hunger strike.