What changed

B100096/2026

on Case of Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic

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

B100066/2026

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

(2026/2572(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutionsresolution on the Central African Republic (CAR);Republic,

having regard to RuleRules 150150(5) of its Rules of Procedure;Procedure,

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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;

whereas Joseph Figueira Martin, a dual Belgian-Portuguese citizen and humanitarian researcher working for the NGO FHI 360, was kidnapped on 26 May 2024 in Zemio, a city in the eastern part of the CAR by the Wagner Group; whereas he was held incommunicado for three days, being tortured and beaten up and handed over the CAR authorities that placed him in a military prison;

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

whereas Mr. Martin has been held in an overpopulated prison under inhumane conditions, without access to healthcare despite his deteriorating health situation;

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 disinformation methods and lies were used against him to detain him;

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 in October 2025, Mr. Martin was sentenced, based on unfounded accusations and without a fair trial, to 10 years of hard labour, and a fine of 50 million CFA francs for undermining state security and criminal association;

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 the Central African Republic continues to face systemic challenges related to the rule of law, judicial independence, and prison conditions;

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 the protection of individuals against arbitrary arrest and detention is a core obligation under the ICCPR and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;

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;

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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;

Strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment, torture and sentencing of Joseph Figueira Martin;

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;

Urges the CAR authorities to release Joseph Figueira Martin immediately; stresses that detaining and sentencing him without due process infringes on his fundamental rights and clearly violates international standards of justice; urges the CAR authorities to ensure him access to medical services, to family visits, legal representation and consular in accordance with international human rights standards;

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

Strongly condemns any form of arbitrary detention, ill-treatment or torture, and recalls that such practices are strictly prohibited under international law and can never be justified;

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;

Calls on the EU Delegation in Bangui, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and the Member States’ diplomatic missions to closely monitor the case, to seek access to the detainee, and to raise the matter with the CAR authorities at the highest political level;

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

Express its sympathy with Mr Martin’s family and calls on the EU and its Member States to assist him and his family in any way possible;

Expresses deep concern about the strong Russian influence and deteriorating human rights situation in the CAR; calls to counter the malign Russian presence and propaganda narratives in the CAR and the wider region; strongly condemns the Wagner Group/Africa Corps’ involvement in widespread human rights abuses; reiterates its call to the Council to designate the Wagner Group/Africa Corps as a terrorist organisation;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the CAR Government, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the African Union and the International Court of Justice.