The European Parliament adopted by 518 votes to 6, with 19 abstentions, a resolution on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA and ECR groups.
Since 1979, Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s regime, whose long disregard for, and violation of, human rights has resulted in barbarous acts, such as the persecution of hundreds of political opponents, government critics and human rights defenders.
Four members of the Equatoguinean opposition movement Movimiento para la Liberacion de Guinea Ecuatorial Tercera Republic (MLGE3R), namely two dual Spanish and Equatoguinean citizens, Julio Obama Mefuman and Feliciano Efa Mangue, and two Equatoguinean citizens living in Spain, Martín Obiang Ondo Mbasogo and Bienvenido Ndong Ono, were kidnapped in South Sudan in late 2019 and flown to Equatorial Guinea on Teodoro Obiang’s presidential plane.
Obama Mefuman and Efa Mangue were denied consular assistance, tried without guarantees of a fair trial and sentenced in March 2020 in Equatorial Guinea to 60 and 90 years in prison, respectively, on charges of terrorism and participation in an alleged attempted coup against President Obiang in 2017.
Obama Mefuman died on 15 January 2023 in Mongomo.
Parliament strongly condemned the death of Spanish citizen Obama Mefuman in custody and holds the Equatoguinean dictatorial regime responsible. It called for the repatriation of his body and for the release of the three remaining MLGE3R members.
Equatorial Guinea is urged to:
- cooperate fully with the Spanish judicial authorities;
- urgently comply with international human rights law and to ensure that all detainees are protected against torture and ill-treatment, held in humane conditions, judged in fair trials and have access to their families and lawyers.
The Commission and Member States are urged to show the utmost firmness in demanding an end to all political persecution and repression and an independent international inquiry into the death of Obama Mefuman and into the wider situation of political prisoners and human rights defenders.
Concerned about the extra-territorial actions of the Government of Equatorial Guinea, including the targeting and kidnapping of political dissidents who hold citizenship or are resident in third countries, including within the EU, Parliament urged the European External Action Service, EUROPOL, EUROJUST and the Commission to work closely with Member State investigative and judicial authorities to strengthen protection for EU citizens and those resident in the EU.