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Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 6, 2007

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Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 6, 2007 Gabon Page 1 of 8 Gabon Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 6, 2007 Gabon is a republic dominated by a strong presidency and the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), which has remained in power since 1968. The population was approximately 1.4 million. Legislative elections in December resulted in continued dominance by President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba's PDG, which won more than two-thirds of the seats in a generally free and fair election. All parties participated in the election after the government met several opposition electoral reform demands. In November 2005 PDG leader Bongo, president since 1967, was reelected for a seven year term in an election marred by irregularities. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces. The country's human rights record remained poor, although there were improvements in several areas. The following human rights problems were reported: limited ability of citizens to change their government; use of excessive force, including torture, on prisoners and detainees; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; an inefficient judiciary susceptible to government influence; restrictions on the right of privacy; restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and movement; harassment of refugees by security forces; widespread government corruption; violence and societal discrimination against women and noncitizen Africans; trafficking in persons, particularly children; and forced labor and child labor. RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From: a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. In August in Libreville a private security force, allegedly with close ties to local government officials, reportedly beat to death a Nigerian market vendor. Subsequent demonstrations by market vendors against the private security force resulted in numerous arrests (see section 1.d.). At year's end no action had been taken against those responsible for the killing. No arrests were made in the 2005 killing of Gildas Mbina Boulingui or in the 2005 drowning of a taxi driver. No further information was available about the trials of police responsible for killing two men in 2005. Security forces were implicated in all three cases. Ritualistic killings occurred. The authorities did not criticize the practice. The body of Mathieu Moundounga, bearing signs of a ritual killing, was found on December 15. There were no arrests in the case by year's end. b. Disappearance There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances. c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Although the constitution and law prohibit such practices, security forces sometimes beat or tortured prisoners and detainees to extract confessions. Unconfirmed reports from the African immigrant community asserted that police and soldiers occasionally beat noncitizen Africans during operations to round up and deport illegal immigrants. As in previous years, refugees complained of harassment and extortion by security forces. Unlike in previous years, there were no reports that practitioners of certain traditional indigenous religions inflicted bodily harm on other persons. Prison and Detention Center Conditions Prisons were overcrowded and conditions were harsh. Food, sanitation, and ventilation were poor, and medical care was almost nonexistent. Juveniles were held with adults and pretrial detainees were held with convicted prisoners. As in 2005, there were no known visits by human rights monitors to prisons; however, there also were no reports that the government impeded such visits. Gabon Page 2 of 8 d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention, but the government did not always observe these prohibitions. Role of the Police and Security Apparatus The national police, under the Ministry of the Interior, and the gendarmerie, under the Ministry of Defense, were responsible for domestic law enforcement and public security; the gendarmerie was also responsible for setting up checkpoints. Elements of the armed forces and the Republican Guard, a heavily armed unit that protects the president, sometimes performed internal security functions; both were subordinate to the defense ministry. The police were inefficient, and corruption was a serious problem. Security forces often used bribes at checkpoints to supplement their salaries. The inspector general's office was responsible for investigating police abuse. In August the commander of the gendarmerie issued a communique promising to take action against officers who practiced extortion. He said that he had recently taken disciplinary action against approximately 100 gendarmes, and that nine were imprisoned, 15 fired, and 13 suspended. Arrest and Detention The law requires arrest warrants based on sufficient evidence and issued by a duly authorized official; however, security forces frequently disregarded this provision. The law provides up to 48 hours for initial detention, during which police must charge a detainee before a judge, but police rarely respected this timetable. Charges often were not filed expeditiously, and persons were detained arbitrarily, sometimes for long periods. Bail could be set at arraignment if further investigation was required. Detainees were allowed prompt access to a lawyer and, if indigent, to one provided by the state. Police arbitrarily arrested market vendors during the year (see sections 1.e. and 2.d.). In September police raided Libreville's largest market and arrested numerous vendors for a variety of infractions. The vendors had protested against the activities of a newly-established private security firm which levied mandatory fees on all vendors in the market and beat one market vendor to death in August (see section 1.a.). The private security force was reported to have close ties with local government officials. Members of the security forces frequently detained individuals at roadblocks under the guise of checking vehicle registration and identity papers. Security forces frequently used such operations to extort money. Pretrial detention, limited to six months for a misdemeanor and to one year for a felony charge, may be extended for six months by the examining magistrate. Pretrial detainees have the right of free access to their attorneys; this right was generally respected. Detainees also have the right to an expeditious trial, but overburdened dockets resulted in prolonged pretrial detention. Approximately 40 percent of persons in custody were pretrial detainees. A February census of Libreville's prison population, conducted by the country's justice ministry, revealed that 277 out of 1,100 prisoners in pretrial detention had been held more than two years. Journalists uncovered 16 cases of prisoners held more than five years without trial, including one who had been in prison for 11 years because the magistrate lost his file. Following public disclosure of the situation, the lower court in Libreville reviewed the cases of long-stay detainees and released 40 prisoners. Most of them had been held for as long as their potential terms would have been if they had been tried and convicted. e. Denial of Fair Public Trial Although the law provides for an independent judiciary, the judiciary was inefficient and remained susceptible to government influence. The president appoints and can dismiss judges through the Ministry of Justice, to which the judiciary is responsible. Corruption was a problem. The judicial system includes regular courts, a military tribunal, and a civilian High Court of Justice. The regular court system includes trial courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Court is a separate body charged with examining constitutional questions, including the certification of elections. The High Court of Justice is constituted by the government as required to consider matters of security. Systemic resource and personnel shortages in the judiciary often contributed to prolonged pretrial detention (see section 1.d.). Trial Procedures The constitution provides the right to a public trial and to legal counsel, and the government generally respected these rights. Nevertheless, a judge may deliver an immediate verdict of guilty at the initial hearing in a state security trial if the government presents sufficient evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent and have the right to be present, to confront witnesses against them, to present witnesses or evidence on their behalf, and to appeal; the government generally respected these rights. Minor disputes may be taken to a local chief, particularly in rural areas, but the government did not recognize such decisions. Political Prisoners and Detainees On March 21, security forces arrested 15 opposition members during a sweep on the compound of the Union of Gabonese Patriots (UPG) leader Pierre Mamboundou. All were believed to have been released by May after charges were dropped by the authorities. Gabon Page 3 of 8 Opposition members arrested in December 2005 were released between January and March. They had participated in a demonstration to protest the reelection of President Bongo. Herve Patrick Opiangah, arrested in 2004 when he led a protest demanding that the government recognize his political party,
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