The people of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea staged widespread peaceful protests against the trial of the Equatorial Guinea Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, currently underway in the Republic of France.
Equatorial Guineans and high-level officials condemned the accusations against the Vice President, and cited that all alleged activities occurred in Equatorial Guinea, not France, and were permissible under Equatoguinean law.
The General Secretary of the Governing Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, Jerónimo Osa Osa Ecoro, said the actions by France are “a direct and head-on attack and threat against international law, the sovereignty of the Institutions of State of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and the freedom and dignity of the Equatoguinean People.”
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, said,” The Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea considers it unacceptable and inappropriate that French criminal Jurisdiction is violating the basic elementary Principles which constituted a key element in the creation of the UN. The alleged crimes of which the Vice-President of the Republic is falsely accused are supposed to have been committed within national territory. The supposed victim of these crimes, if they had indeed occurred, would be the People of Equatorial Guinea, and as such, the French Courts lack the jurisdiction and Judicial legitimacy to recognize the matter, which has been created in such a Machiavellian manner.”
The National Parliament of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea also rejected the trial against the Vice President, and urged French Courts to “put an end to the process and acts of persecution, harassment, attack, and demolition against the Vice President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.”
The prosecution of a sovereign leader by a foreign court is a clear violation of international law, an act which could set a dangerous precedent for any nation to prosecute any leader or national of another country for any reason.
Equatorial Guinea has argued that any disagreement between France and Equatorial Guinea should be discussed through the proper diplomatic channels, rather than criminal court.
Last October, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that property seized by prosecutors in Paris was the property of the government of Equatorial Guinea and not subject to seizure under international law.
Equatorial Guinea has made significant strides over the last two decades to become a beacon of peace, stability, and economic growth in Africa. The country has continued internal investment of resources to further develop healthcare and wellbeing, infrastructure, agriculture, and transportation. Equatorial Guinea has achieved significant international milestones in literacy, healthcare services, education, and infrastructure development.
Equatorial Guinea is active on the international stage as a fully-participating member of the United Nations (UN). The country was recently elected to the UN Security Council.