The United Nations (UN) Group working on Arbitrary Detention has declared the sentencing of South African (SA) engineers, Frederik Potgieter, 54 And Peter Huxham, 55 an illegal act by the government of Equatorial Guinea and demands for their immediate release.
Potgieter and Huxham were busy rendering professional engineering services on a project for their employer, an oil and gas company based in Equatorial Guinea when they werefalsely accused, arrested and charged to court for the fabrication of illicit drugs in February 2023. Their arrest came two days after the South African government seized the luxury superyacht of Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue in addition to his villas and cars that had been previously confiscated.
According to the UN’s opinion on their release demand statement, Equatorial Guinea being a signatory of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, must adhere to its international human rights conventions andpolicy in place. The UN strongly condemns the arrest and wants relevant steps to be taken immediately for the release of Potgieter and Huxham who were in Equatorial Guinea just to do their Job. Their arbitrary detention of goes against Articles3, 9, 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 9, 14 and 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and falls within categories I and III.
In further requests for Potgieter and Huxham to be granted their released and be brought back home to South Africa, Francois Nigrini and Shaun Murphy acting as their spokespersons have said that it is very sad that these engineers and family men who were just trying to make an honest living have been caught in a crossfire between the South African and Equatorial Guinea governments. The families of Potgieter and Huxham also share thesamesentiment and remain hopeful that their loved ones will soon regain their freedom.
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Written by: Sema Fonkem
Images: Karago Photography
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