Tensions are rising in Ivory Coast as authorities have detained 13 members of the main opposition party on charges of conspiracy and disturbing public order, their lawyer confirmed on Thursday.
The arrests come weeks before the October 25 presidential election, where incumbent President Alassane Ouattara is seeking a controversial fourth term.
According to lawyer Sosthene Toure, the detained individuals — all members of the Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI) — were accused of “plotting against the authority of the state” and organizing “subversive actions,” including a banned opposition march earlier this month.
Toure told AFP that the arrests took place on Tuesday and suggested that one of the individuals may have been detained by mistake. A PDCI lawmaker also confirmed that 13 people had been charged.
The arrests follow the disqualification of PDCI leader Tidjane Thiam from contesting the presidency — a decision that has drawn widespread criticism from the opposition, which accuses the judiciary of bias in favor of Ouattara’s government.
Despite the mounting backlash, the government insists that the electoral process and court decisions have been independent.
President Ouattara, 83, faces competition from former ministers Jean-Louis Billon and Ahoua Don Mello, as well as former first lady Simone Ehivet Gbagbo and 2015 presidential candidate Henriette Lagou.
Observers fear the latest arrests could further inflame political tensions in the West African nation, which has a history of election-related unrest.
