Six opposition leaders released after nine months in ivoire custody

Following a highly charged presidential election year, Côte d’Ivoire witnessed a wave of opposition arrests in 2025, with dozens of activists detained amid political tensions.

End of detention for PDCI leaders

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. «After today’s hearing before the anti-terrorism chamber, my clients and PDCI activists (Allo Pacôme Didier, Kouleon Manhenin, N’Cho Gnangoran, Mabo Koffi Jean Marc, Ouattara Kinjinlman, Niangoran N’Guessan Edouard) are finally reunited with their families after nine months behind bars,» wrote lawyer Me Ange Rodrigue Dadje on social media.

He declined to explain the reasons behind their release when reached for comment. Earlier in May, two other PDCI members, Clément Kouakou and Denis Brou, had also been freed after prolonged detention.

The eight activists—local party officials from several districts of Abidjan—were arrested between late September and early October 2025, a period marked by the presidential vote. Opposition figures such as PDCI President Tidjane Thiam and former President Laurent Gbagbo were barred from running due to court rulings.

Scores of opposition members, including party cadres, were arrested or jailed, while hundreds faced charges for participating in unauthorized protests during the campaign. The unrest led to multiple fatalities, with authorities insisting all arrests followed standard legal procedures and were unrelated to political affiliation.

Recent political releases

In early July, Moïse Lida Kouassi, a former Defense Minister under Laurent Gbagbo and party member, was freed after nearly a year in custody. A pro-Gbagbo cyberactivist, Ibrahim Zigui, was also released around the same time.