Equatorial Guinea: Human Rights Defender’s Whereabouts Unknown

Anacleto Micha Ndong is an Equatoguinean human rights defender, active on social media, and member of the civic platform Guinea Ecuatorial también es nuestra, that opts for non- violent opposition and political dialogue in the country.

On 26 January, Anacleto Micha was arrested in his house in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea’s capital, by four members of security forces in civilian clothes. Witnesses to his arrest described it as a very violent event. The gendarmerie officers beat him, allegedly put his head in a bucket of water and tore his shirt in front of his children who were crying in panic.

His ongoing detention seems to be motivated by his activism, especially his critical posts against the government on social media, which would make it arbitrary.

After several attempts to meet privately with his client, on 10 April, Anacleto Micha’s lawyer received an official letter authorizing him to visit his client on 15 April at Black Beach prison. That day when the lawyer went to the prison, he was informed that his client was not there because he had left to testify in Court. The lawyer later found out that this was not true and that his client was not at Black Beach prison because, according to unofficial sources, he had been transferred to Oveng Ansem prison. 

Oveng Ansem is a prison in Mongomo municipality with a very concerning record of allegations from prisoners who report having been tortured there. Some prisoners have also allegedly died due to the torture inflicted on them, including Julio Obama Mefuman, member of MLGE3R (Movement for the Liberation of the Third Equatorial Guinea), who died in January 2024. His body was never returned to his family.