The Central African Republic (CAR) has recently released a Belgian-Portuguese national, Joseph Figueira Martin, who was serving a prison sentence for undermining state security, according to statements from the Portuguese foreign ministry. Martin, who had been detained for over 22 months, departed from the CAR on Tuesday and was en route to Lisbon, as anticipated by his brother, who confirmed the news as a “rumor “that “should land in Lisbon in a couple of hours.”Martin had been employed by the American non-governmental organization (NGO), Family Health International 360, when he was detained in May 2024 in Zemio, a town in the southeastern region of the CAR. His arrest stemmed from accusations by the CAR authorities that he had sought assistance from an armed group to capture Joseph Kony, a notorious Ugandan warlord sought by the International Criminal Court for his involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
At the time of his arrest, Martin was charged with conspiracy and espionage for his alleged contacts with rebel fighters in the Haut — Mbomou region of the CAR’s east. The charges escalated, and in November 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for undermining state security. During his detention, Martin was held in a military prison and resorted to a hunger strike to protest the conditions under which he was being held.
Portugal’s foreign minister attributed Martin’s liberation to the concerted efforts of both the Portuguese and Belgian governments, as well as the European Union. The diplomatic efforts appear to have finally borne fruit, leading to Martin’s release from detention in the CAR.
Source: Africanews
