COTE D’IVOIRE: UNIONIST RELEASED BUT CHARGES STILL PENDING

Dear Minister,

I welcome the news that unionist Ghislain Duggary Assy was provisionally released from detention on May 7 by the Court of Appeal. However, I remain concerned that the charges against him are still pending.

Ghislain Duggary is prohibited from leaving the country and must report to the Court of Appeal registry every month while waiting for a final decision. His case will be reviewed on June 11.

On April 4, Ghislain Duggary Assy was charged with organizing the collective action of civil servants outside the prescribed legal framework and “obstructing the operation of the public service”. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment on April 8.

Ghislain Duggary Assy’s peaceful action to call for strike to demand, among others, the upgrading of quarterly bonuses for teachers, is not a crime. Amnesty International believes the unionist’s charges were solely to undermine the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association and workers’ human rights.

I therefore call upon you to ensure that the prosecution of Ghislain Duggary Assy is ended and all charges against him are immediately dropped.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]