Parliament calls for release of imprisoned engineers in Equatorial Guinea

Update

GEORGE NEWS - There is a glimmer of hope for Frik Potgieter from George and Peter Huxham from Langebaan, the engineers who have been allegedly illegally imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea (EG) since 9 February 2023, as Parliament adopted a unanimous motion calling for their immediate release on Tuesday 22 October.

The two men were arrested in EG two days after South African courts seized the luxury super yacht belonging to Vice-president Teodore Nguema Obiang Mangue, the president’s son.

Earlier, the South African courts had also seized Obiang's two luxury Cape Town villas in Clifton and Bishopscourt.

These assets were impounded following a court ruling in South Africa on a separate matter, completely unrelated to Huxham and Potgieter.

Shaun Murphy, spokesperson for the Potgieter family, said the South African Parliament has effectively endorsed the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's formal opinion, issued in July this year, which concluded that Huxham and Potgieter's arrests and ongoing detention are arbitrary and illegal, and called for their immediate release.

"The imprisonment of these two innocent men by the Government of Equatorial Guinea is a direct violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to liberty and security of person, as enshrined in international law."

According to Francois Nigrini, spokesperson for the Huxham family, the outpouring of support for their release has been nothing short of extraordinary, from both the South African public and the international community.

"Nearly 15 000 signatories from around the globe have added their voices to the FreeFrikandPeter.co.za petition, calling for immediate justice. This groundswell of support should be a clear signal to our government to do whatever it takes to secure their immediate release and prioritise their case.

Frik and Peter were innocent victims of being of the wrong nationality, at the wrong place, at the wrong time," he said.

The motion without notice was tabled by Emma Powell of the Democratic Alliance in Parliament.

It was adopted unanimously that the House condemns the ongoing unlawful imprisonment of Potgieter and Huxham and it notes the formal opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued on 1 July 2024, which concluded that Potgieter and Huxham's arrests and ongoing detention in EG is arbitrary, illegal and a gross violation of human rights, and that they should be released immediately, The House reaffirms South Africa's commitment to international law and human rights and supports efforts to ensure accountability for actions that violate these principles; stands in support of the families of Potgieter and Huxham, who are suffering because of their loved ones' illegal detention; and calls on the South African authorities to facilitate for their immediate release.

Go to www.freefrikandpeter.co.za to read their stories, sign the petition and follow the social media channels.

Click here to read a press release by the families.

Sonja and Frik Potgieter before he was detained in EG.