What changed

on Case of Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic

B100093/2026

B100066/2026

European Parliament resolution on Case of Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolution on Central African Republic,

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rules 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

having regards its previous resolutions on the Central African Republic (CAR),

Whereas on 26 May 2024, Joseph Figueira Martin a Belgian-Portuguese citizen working for an US NGO, was detained by the Wagner Group in Zémio, Central African Republic;

having regard to Rule 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas he was accused among other crimes of financing and coordinating activities for armed groups, and undermining the security of the state;

whereas Joseph Figueira Martin, a Belgian-Portuguese researcher and development consultant, was abducted on 25 May 2024 in Zémio, CAR, by the Wagner paramilitary group while carrying out a development project;

Whereas in November 2025, he was sentenced to ten years of forced labour and over one million euros fine, whereas forced labour as a criminal punishment raises serious concerns under international human rights law, in particular regarding the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment;

whereas Mr Figueira Martin was subjected to torture and death threats during his abduction and detention in a Wagner-operated facility;

Whereas serious concerns have been publicly expressed about respect for the right to a fair trial, conditions of detention, and access to healthcare, whereas his health is deteriorating according to his lawyers and relatives;

whereas the authorities of CAR charged him with multiple offences, including espionage, conspiracy, terrorism, incitement to revolt, and complicity in undermining state security;

Whereas it would appear that several pieces of evidence were confiscated or added by Wagner's mercenaries and were not disclosed to the investigating judge;

whereas torture, ill-treatment, malnutrition, and inadequate healthcare are widespread in CAR prisons, and pre-trial detention is frequently used against activists and political opponents;

Calls on the Central African authorities to immediately guarantee the exercise of all legal remedies to Joseph Figueira Martin, effective and confidential access to his lawyers, conditions of detention in accordance with international standards, as well as regular access to appropriate medical care, including by independent doctors, and, if necessary, medical evacuation;

whereas, on 4 November, the Criminal Court in of Bangui found Mr Figueira Martin guilty of complicity in criminal association and undermining state security, sentencing him to ten years of forced labour and ordering him to pay 50 million FCFA (approximately USD 88.136) in damages and civil reparations;

Calls on the judicial authorities to uphold and respect its international obligations under the African Commission on Human Rights and People's Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Central African Republic is a party, and notably Article 14 thereof on the right to a fair and timely trial before independent courts of law and based on clear charges and ensuring the respect of the defendants’ rights;

whereas, despite some improvements in the security situation in CAR following the 2025 N’Djamena peace agreement, challenges persist, including the demobilisation of the armed groups and the spill-over of the conflict in Sudan;

Calls for an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into all allegations of torture or ill-treatment, and for those responsible to be prosecuted if violations are established;

Calls for justice and accountability for acts of arbitrary detention, torture, and inhumane treatment Mr Figueira Martin endured;

Condemns the sentence of forced labour imposed on Joseph Figueira Martin as incompatible with international standards, in particular with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; calls on the Central African authorities to annul or revise this sentence accordingly;

Strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Mr Figueira Martin and calls for his immediate and unconditional release;

Denounces the presence of the Wagner Group and urges to hold them accountable for their abuses against civilians;

Calls for full respect for his human rights, including personal safety access to legal defence, consular assistance, and adequate healthcare;

Underlines that the proliferation of private military and security companies and paramilitary groups operating in Africa, often in secrecy and with ambiguous chains of command, contributes to the escalation of violence, serious human rights abuses, the weakening of the rule of law, and the capture of natural resources to the detriment of the population; further notes that these actors fuel impunity and hinder efforts to achieve peace, justice, and the protection of civilians;

Urges the government of CAR to strengthen border management with Sudan to support refugees and prevent their exploitation by armed groups;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Central African authorities.

Encourages the government of CAR to address human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties to the conflict, including the Wagner Group, and to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable;

Urges the Council and the Commission to consider targeted sanctions against all individuals involved in the arbitrary detention of Mr Figueira Martin in CAR;

Underlines that all States and parties to armed conflict must respect, and ensure respect for, applicable international humanitarian law, including the protection of humanitarian workers in all circumstances, and must uphold and protect their human rights;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers and Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the UN Secretary -General, the UN Human Rights Council, the President, Prime Minister and Parliament of the Central Democratic Republic, and the African Union and its institutions.