The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) expresses its deep concern over the arrest of Vincent Djiropo and Dominique Mensah, two environmental activists from the Winnin community, as well as the detention of several peaceful demonstrators.
Their arrest stems from their persistent resistance to the privatisation of the Monogaga forest, where the Ministry of Water and Forests has allegedly granted land concessions.
On November 27, Alain Ahimou, a journalist and the founder of Micro Libre, a citizen-focused audiovisual media platform committed to investigative journalism published a report on its Facebook page entitled, “The Reign of the Nudists in Monogaga.”
Using hidden camera footage, the journalist highlighted activities of nudists on the beach of the Monogaga forest, and the implications of their activities on the moral values on the locals. The forest holds deep significance for local communities who have relied on it for over 600 years.
Two weeks later, 14 December 2024, Vincent Djiropo was arrested by police in San Pedro. He was remanded in custody on 18 December on charges of disturbing the peace and disseminating false information by digital means.
Two days after Mr. Djiropo’s arrest, Dominique Mensah was also arrested at his office in Abidjan. He was subsequently transferred to San Pedro, where he remains in detention awaiting a hearing. Mensah has also been outspoken in opposing attempts to seize his land.
Tensions escalated further when 18 other individuals, including young indigenous and non-indigenous members of the Winnin community, were arrested while peacefully protesting to demand the release of the two activists.
The MFWA recalls that freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest are enshrined in Article 11 of the Ivorian Constitution, which affirms that freedom of assembly and demonstration is guaranteed by law. These arrests amount to intimidation and a serious violation of fundamental freedoms.
The MFWA calls on the Ivorian authorities to create an environment that respects civil liberties and to end all acts of repression against those who speak out in defence of their ancestral lands and sources of livelihood.