Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has hit a major roadblock in his bid to return to power. Gbagbo, who was barred from contesting in the upcoming elections due to criminal convictions, petitioned the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to overturn his disqualification. However, the court rejected his petition, citing a local criminal conviction. Though Gbagbo was acquitted by the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity, his Ivorian conviction from the 2010–2011 post-election crisis remains intact. The court ruled that Gbagbo, now 80, failed to provide adequate evidence that the Ivorian state violated his rights as he claimed. While the ruling was not in his favor, it likely would not have made much difference even if successful, given that Côte d’Ivoire does not recognize the continental court’s authority.
africanews
