Ousted Gabonese president, Ali Bongo and his two sons, Jalil and Bilal, have embarked on hunger strike in protest against alleged “torture” of family members. 

The Bongos family lawyers, François Zimeray and Catalina de la Sota, disclosed Mr Bongo and his sons’ hunger strike protest in a statement on Tuesday.

They alleged that Mr Bongo’s first son, Noureddin, was “repeatedly tortured, beaten with a hammer and crowbar, strangled, whipped and electrocuted with a taser.”

The lawyers added that Sylvia Bongo was also beaten and coerced to watch Noureddin being tortured.

Ahead of Gabonese military ruler Brice Oligui’s planned visit to France, Mr Bongo lawyers also filed a suit at Paris Judicial Court for investigation into the former Gabon president’s allegations. 

Mr Bongo’s government was toppled in August 2023 shortly after he was declared winner of a controversial election that would have seen him continue the 56-year reign of the Bongos dynasty in Gabon.

Since Mr Oligui, Mr Bongo’s cousin, took over power, Mrs Bongo and Noureddin have been in detention over corruption allegations.