Six local leaders of Côte d’Ivoire’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), walked free on Monday after spending nine months in detention, their lawyer confirmed.
In a social media statement, their legal representative, Me Ange Rodrigue Dadje, shared, «Following Monday’s hearing before the antiterrorism chamber, my clients and PDCI activists—Allo Pacôme Didier, Kouleon Manhenin, N’Cho Gnangoran, Mabo Koffi Jean Marc, Ouattara Kinjinlman, and Niangoran N’Guessan Edouard—are finally home after nine months in custody.»
2025 presidential vote marked by crackdown on dissent
Election-year arrests spark controversy
Dozens of opposition members found themselves behind bars in 2025 during Côte d’Ivoire’s high-stakes presidential election. The detainees included grassroots organizers from the PDCI, arrested between late September and early October as campaigning reached its peak. Authorities maintained the arrests followed standard investigative procedures, denying any political motives.
The latest releases follow the mid-May liberation of two additional PDCI activists, Clément Kouakou and Denis Brou. Earlier this month, former defense minister Moïse Lida Kouassi—a Gbagbo ally—also regained freedom after nearly a year in detention, along with Ibrahim Zigui, a cyberactivist linked to the same political circle.
Political exclusion and unrest intensify
High-profile opposition figures, including PDCI leader Tidjane Thiam and former president Laurent Gbagbo, were barred from contesting the election by court rulings. Meanwhile, scores of opposition cadres and demonstrators faced prosecution after joining unauthorized protests during the campaign. Reports indicate over a dozen fatalities linked to the unrest, while hundreds more received convictions for participating in banned gatherings.
