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Gabon’s former prime minister, a critic of the junta, has been arrested

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon ‘s former prime minister and leading opposition figure Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze has been arrested by the country’s security forces, his party announced in a statement on Thursday.

The arrest took place at his home on Wednesday by agents of the General Directorate of Investigations (DGR), an intelligence agency, the party, Ensemble pour le Gabon (EPG), said.

It described the arrest as “arbitrary, brutal, and manifestly contrary to the fundamental principles of the rule of law.”

According to EPG, its leader was arrested for a five-million Central African franc debt ($8,999) dating back to 2008. At the time, Bilie-By-Nze, now 58, was one of the organizers of the National Cultural Festival, a public event celebrating the country’s cultural heritage. A service provider had not been paid and continues to demand payment.

Bilie-By-Nze was the last prime minister for former Gabonese president Ali Bongo Ondimba, who was ousted in a military coup in Aug. 2023. Bilie-By-Nzecame second in last year’s election in Gabon, the first since the 2023 coup, losing to the junta leader Brice Oligui Nguema.

“We call on the authorities of the Republic to act responsibly and guarantee a peaceful democratic framework, in accordance with Gabon’s national and international commitments,” EPG said.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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