Gabonese authorities unhappy with recent EU parliament criticisms on opposition repression

Gabonese authorities have expressed discontent with a new European Parliament release calling on Gabon to stop harassing, intimidating and persecuting political opponents.

Gabonese authorities denounced the EU statement as interference in its internal affairs, while the opposition has welcomed the position as rational and in line with the Cotonou agreement which binds both countries.

According to government spokesman Alain Claude Bilie Nze, there are no political opponents in Gabon but judicial officials will not tolerate anyone who violates the law in the country.

Ali Bongo, who took over as president after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, in 2009, was declared the winner of the 2016 presidential election; although international observers identified irregularities in the compilation of the election results.