Human rights defender Mr Marc Ona Essangui received several intimidatory and threatening phone calls from various phone numbers on the 5, 11, and 22 August 2011.

Over previous weeks, Marc Ona Essangui has also been the target of a smear campaign led by sections of pro Government media in relation to his involvement in the movement 'Ça suffit comme ça' ('That's enough of this'). The movement was launched in July 2011 by 13 trade unions, associations and NGOs in Gabon, to call for institutional reforms and transparent legislative elections. Front Line issued an urgent appeal on Marc Ona Essangui in December 2010 available here.

Further Information

On 22 August 2011, at 3pm approximately, Marc Ona Essangui received two threatening phone calls. He received similar calls 11 August, between 1.18pm and 2.36pm, as well as on 5 August at 11am approximately. The calls were made from at least seven different phone numbers, some of which were used repeatedly. The phone numbers were not withheld. Six of the phone numbers used contained similar digit patterns. Three of the phone numbers used only differed by one digit, the last one. This may indicate that the phone calls were made from the same building or telephone system.

During the phone calls, the callers insulted Marc Ona Essangui and threatened that they would deal with him. The callers also accused Marc Ona Essangui of being a spokesperson for the opposition party, National Union (dissolved by the authorities in February 2011). The callers repeatedly threatened Marc Ona Essangui's family, stating that they know where they live and where his children go to school.

Marc Ona Essangui is not affiliated to any political party.

Since the creation of the movement 'Ça suffit comme ça', which was officially launched on 16 July 2011, sections of pro Government media launched a smear campaign against its main actors. In particular, the weekly newspaper La Griffe, considered to have close ties to the Presidency of the Republic, published articles targeting Marc Ona Essangui on 5, 11 and 19 July 2011. Statements of an accusatory nature were also published on the website of the Union des jeunes du Parti démocratique du Gabon de France (Gabon Democratic Party's Youth Union of France).

Front Line is concerned about the repeated threats against Marc Ona Essangui and his family, as well as the media smear campaign, which appear to be motivated by his engagement in activities related to human rights and good governance in Gabon. Front Line wishes to emphasise the legitimate role played by human rights defenders and civil society organisations, in particular, with regard to good governance, which includes a transparent electoral process.