Laurent Gbagbo Loses Bid to Challenge Presidential Ban at African Court

Arusha, Tanzania — The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has dismissed a petition by former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo challenging his exclusion from Ivory Coast’s upcoming October presidential election, citing insufficient evidence of rights violations.

The 80-year-old, who ruled the West African country from 2000 to 2011, had sought to overturn a domestic ban that disqualified him from running due to a criminal conviction in Ivory Coast. Gbagbo argued the conviction and the resulting disqualification violated his rights under the African Charter.

In its judgment, the court said Gbagbo failed to sufficiently prove his claims. “The applicant has not established that his rights were violated in a manner that would justify intervention by the Court,” the African Union-backed tribunal ruled.

Conviction Despite ICC Acquittal

Gbagbo faced disqualification due to a conviction from an Ivorian court linked to the deadly violence that erupted after the disputed 2010 presidential election, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. The International Criminal Court (ICC) acquitted him of crimes against humanity in 2021, but the Ivorian state upheld its own conviction against him.

The former president hoped the continental court would recognise his candidature rights despite the Ivorian ruling, arguing that someone unlawfully curtailed his political rights.

Abidjan’s Rejection of AU Court Jurisdiction

Even if the court had ruled in Gbagbo’s favor, its decision would have had little practical effect. Ivory Coast withdrew its recognition of the African Court’s jurisdiction in 2020, and its government has since disregarded the court’s rulings.

That legal and political stance leaves Gbagbo — and others similarly excluded — with limited recourse. Authorities have also barred former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam from the presidential race due to separate legal cases.

Broader Concerns About Political Exclusion

The disqualification of prominent opposition figures has raised concerns among political observers and civil society groups about the integrity of Ivory Coast’s electoral process. The October 2025 presidential election is shaping up amid tensions surrounding political eligibility and the role of the judiciary.

Despite his disqualification, Gbagbo remains a significant figure in Ivorian politics. After spending nearly a decade in detention and exile, he returned to the country in 2021 and continues to lead his party, the African Peoples’ Party – Côte d’Ivoire (PPA–CI).

The upcoming election will be the first since the death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly in 2020 and the third-term bid by President Alassane Ouattara, which also sparked controversy.

MMI