The Movement for Gabon’s Greatness (MGG) and its leader, Christian Mermance N’nang Nsome, have issued an urgent call for the unconditional release of Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nzé, former Prime Minister and current President of the opposition party Ensemble Pour le Gabon (EPG). Bilie-By-Nzé has been held at the Libreville Central Prison since April 2026, facing allegations of fraud involving five million CFA francs.
In a strongly worded statement released this week, the MGG framed this demand not merely as support for Bilie-By-Nzé but as a defense of Gabon’s democratic foundations—many of which, they argue, now face severe threats under the new political party regulations. With over 100 political formations potentially at risk of dissolution, the group insists that justice must prevail without political interference.
“My fight isn’t about defending one person; it’s about ensuring that the political class, civil society, and the press stand up for justice the way they should have when I was unlawfully detained for nearly seven months,” said Christian Mermance N’nang Nsome, referring to his own experience in custody.
Despite openly supporting President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguéma, N’nang Nsome stressed that he refuses to be a passive supporter. Instead, he urges Gabonese judges to uphold the law impartially in Bilie-By-Nzé’s case, just as they eventually did in his own situation.
“My detention left deep scars—not just on me, but on my loved ones. My health remains fragile since my release. Yet those in power seem to treat human lives as disposable, with no accountability,” he added.
In a climate of rising political repression where free speech is increasingly criminalized, N’nang Nsome warns that silence would make others complicit in future injustices. “They jailed me yesterday. Today, it’s Bilie-By-Nzé. Who will be next?”, he cautioned.
