The families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham appealed to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP)* on Monday, in a bid to get support for the release of the two men from detention in Equatorial Guinea.
The two South African engineers have reportedly been detained in the country for more than 500 days. According to Daily Maverick, they were arrested on drug-related charges in 9 February 2023.
It is believed their charges are fabricated and may be linked to the seizure of a luxury yacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, which occurred just two days before their arrest. Two of the vice president’s villas in Cape Town were seized as well. These steps were following a legal matter that is unrelated to the engineers.
The families planned to submit a formal petition to the PAP President on Monday. The petition handover coincides with the opening day of the new PAP session, attended by Equatorial Guinea officials and potentially President Ramaphosa, in Midrand. The families hope this timing will amplify their plea.
The families also planned a peaceful demonstration outside the Parliament.
They are calling for urgent intervention from both the South African and UK governments, as Huxham holds dual citizenship.
The families have launched an online petition, a dedicated website, and a social media campaign to garner support and share their story.
For more information and to support the campaign, visit their website and sign the petition.
A Family’s Heartache: Imagine your loved ones being taken from you and unlawfully imprisoned in a foreign country.
#freeFrikandPeter @DIRCO_ZA https://t.co/Y1sodKuAaxSign the petition here: https://t.co/SXnL6qR97w pic.twitter.com/6Vq7Hlj4qn
— Freefrikandpeter (@frikandpeter) June 24, 2024
*The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) consists of 55 members of the African Union, of which Equatorial Guinea is one.
