Sixth detainee dies in custody in Ivory Coast
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Tchadinfos
Atcho Kraidi Arnaud, a PPA-CI activist, died on 6 November at the former MACA in Abidjan, bringing to six the number of detainees whose deaths the party has reported since October 2025. PPA-CI is calling for an investigation into the deaths and a review of pre-trial detentions, according to its 7 November statement.
Atcho Kraidi Arnaud, an activist with the African Peoples’ Party – Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), died on Friday 6 November while in custody at the former MACA, Abidjan Prison and Correctional Facility. PPA-CI announced the death in a statement published on 7 November and described it as the sixth death among people it considers political detainees since October 2025.
The party lists five other deaths: Koré Séry Évariste on 3 October 2025, Koffi Monnet Marius on 15 April 2026, Gnan Guélablé Joël on 23 April, Zou Ignace on 9 August and Banhan Goulia Claude on 23 August. PPA-CI is calling for an investigation into the deaths and is demanding the release of people detained for political reasons as well as a review of pre-trial detentions.
PPA-CI deputy secretary-general Patrice Kouté offered his condolences to the family of Atcho Kraidi Arnaud and the relatives of the other deceased people. The party called for respect for detainees’ fundamental rights and said that deprivation of liberty should not entail deprivation of the right to life, according to its statement.
