Former Ivorian president condemns imprisonment of political activists

Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo used his platform in the 4th edition of the Renaissance Festival in the town of Songon M’Brathé to condemn the imprisonment of political activists.

The political and cultural gathering was organised by his African People's Party – Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) party which this week re-elected the 80-year-old as its president.

"We have many comrades in prison. We must not only think of them, but we must work to ensure they are released,” Gbagbo said.

Last October, an Ivorian court sentenced dozens of people to prison for taking part in banned demonstrations against the exclusion of candidates, including Gbagbo, in elections.

"The democracy we have fought for and continue to fight for is precisely so that everyone can express their opinion,” Gbagbo told a large crowd of supporters at Saturday’s gathering.

“But if, as soon as someone expresses their opinion, you put them in prison, that is no longer normal,” he said.

The PPA-CI party boycotted the October 2025 polls and now has no MPs and just a handful of mayors, while his long-time rival Alassane Ouattara won the presidential vote.

Gbagbo came to office in 2000. But his refusal to concede defeat to Ouattara in the 2010 election prompted a civil war in which more than 3,000 people were killed.

Ousted in 2011, he returned home from exile in 2021 after his 2019 acquittal by the International Criminal Court of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Last year, the former president, who soon turns 81 at the end of the month, said he planned to retire from politics.

His future political career will likely depend