Statement on Equatorial Guinea

GENEVA COUNCIL - Making global markets work for all, 23-24 November 1998

Original: Spanish

The Council of the Socialist International has learned that on the eve of parliamentary elections in Equatorial Guinea arrests and jailings of members of legal parties continue to take place for political reasons.

The arrest has taken place of Amancio Gabriel Nze, secretary for organisation and civil society of the Convergence for Social Democracy, CPDS, and of Nicolas Mañana, general secretary of the Rio Muni regional group of that party.

The Socialist International expresses its solidarity with its member party, the CPDS, in particular, and with the democratic parties of Equatorial Guinea in general who are experiencing great difficulty in developing their political activities and encourages them to continue their peaceful struggle for free and fair elections.

The Socialist International urges the government of Equatorial Guinea to respect the democratic freedoms of the political parties and their members.