Two prominent members of the African Peoples’ Party – Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), Blaise Lasm and Dahi Nestor, have been taken into custody and transferred to Abidjan Prison, authorities confirmed on Monday, September 29, 2025.
According to their lawyer, Roseline Serikpa, the activists are facing charges of incitement to insurrection, disturbing public order, and failing to comply with a decision of the Constitutional Council.
Ivorian law clearly underscores the binding nature of the Constitutional Council’s rulings.
Article 138 of the Constitution states that “the decisions of the Constitutional Council are not subject to appeal and are binding on all institutions, public authorities, and citizens.”
The law further forbids public authorities, including prefects, from authorizing or supervising any marches or demonstrations aimed at challenging the Council’s authority.
The arrests follow heightened political tensions in Abidjan, where the PPA-CI has increasingly mobilized support in recent months.
Blaise Lasm and Dahi Nestor, both senior figures in the party, have been active in organizing public events that authorities allege challenged the Constitutional Council’s rulings.
The PPA-CI has expressed concern over the detentions, describing them as politically motivated.
Party officials insist that their activities were intended to exercise political rights and express dissent within the legal framework.
Observers note that the case highlights the delicate balance in Ivory Coast between maintaining public order and allowing political expression.
The Constitutional Council plays a central role in upholding the country’s legal framework, and its decisions are considered final and binding, leaving limited room for political contestation through demonstrations.
Legal experts have said the case will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for how authorities handle opposition activism in the country.
Meanwhile, Blaise Lasm and Dahi Nestor remain in custody pending further investigation, and the situation is expected to draw attention from both domestic and international human rights groups.
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