PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 26/004/2003 16 October 2003

Further Information on UA 240/03 (AFR 26/001/2003, 13 August 2003) - Prisoners
of Conscience

GABON Hughes Bessacque (m), aged 33 ]
Brice Obanda (m), aged 30 ] members of Bongo Doit
Partir
Gervais Amogo (m), aged 32 ] ("Bongo Must Go" or
Abdul Allogo Mintsa (m), aged around 23 ] BDP-Gabon
Nouveau)
Pascal Nkoulou (m) ]

The five members of the Gabonese opposition party Bongo Doit Partir (BDP),
Bongo Must Go (or BDP-Gabon Nouveau), named above were released on 1 October
after three months of detention. They have been reunited with their families
and are generally in good health, although they did suffer some health problems
during their imprisonment.

They had been charged with threatening state security and insulting the head of
state though, most if not all, of them were released without charge. In a press
release BDP-Gabon Nouveau’s leader thanked members of Amnesty International,
amongst others, for having put pressure on the government as this was a factor
in their release.

No further action is requested from the network. Many thanks to all those who
sent appeals. ********