Congolese lawyers strike over detention of colleague

The Association of Lawyers in Congo has announced that they would suspend their professional activities on Tuesday for three days in order to denounce the detention of their colleague, Ludovic Desire Essou.

Lawyer Essou was arrested for being one of the last people who met Colonel Marcel N’Tsourou, shortly before he died in custody.

Colonel N’Tsourou was Essou’s client.

In a statement, the lawyers said the arrest and detention of their colleague was in breach of the the law regulating the profession of lawyers in Congo.

Consequently the lawyers urged the office of the Prosecution of Brazzaville to guarantee the rights and freedom of their colleague and also ordered his unconditional release.

Formerly responsible for handling intelligence in Congo-Brazzaville, N’Tsourou was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014, notably for “rebellion and for illegal possession of weapons of war”.

He was also implicated in the explosion of an ammunition depot on 4 March 2012 in Brazzaville.

The accident killed hundreds of people and left thousands homeless. The colonel had vigorously denied the accusations.

His death, as well as the arrest of his lawyer has led to a tense political climate in Brazzaville.