The former Ivorian first lady Simone Gbagbo accused the French army of not having protected her against "
attempted rape
", according to her, during her arrest in 2011, and she pleaded for a postponement of the presidential election of October 31, in an interview with France 24.
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Simone Gbagbo was questioned about a statement she had made during her trial before the Ivorian courts, assuring that she had been the victim of "
attempted rape
" in the presence of French soldiers.
“
I saw them with my own eyes!
Who were filming,
”Ms. Gbagbo, 71, told French international news channel of the French soldiers.
“
They were there when people chased us away, shot us down and I didn't see a single French soldier raise their hand.
They were there with cameras,
”she said, seeing“
the consequence of the attitude of the government of Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy
”(then French President).
Sentenced by Ivorian justice to 20 years in prison
Final episode of the post-electoral crisis of 2010-11 which left 3,000 dead after President Laurent Gbagbo refused to recognize his electoral defeat, the images of the arrest of the Gbagbo couple by forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara had been around of the world in 2011. We saw Simone Gbagbo jostled by soldiers.
Other images show violence against Michel Gbagbo, the son of Mr. Gbagbo.
Simone Gbagbo had already, during one of her trials, accused the French army of having done nothing to protect it.
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Sentenced by the Ivorian justice to 20 years in prison for undermining the security of the State, she benefited from an amnesty in 2018, like 800 people.
In addition, referring to the presidential election of October 31, 2020, Ms. Gbagbo estimated that the election “
will not
” take place, recalling that the opposition refuses the candidacy of Alassane Ouattara for a controversial third term, and calls for a new Constitutional Council and a new Independent Electoral Commission.
“
There will be no elections, people are already on the streets.
We are already experiencing violence.
Since Alassane Ouattara announced her candidacy, Ivorians have spontaneously taken to the streets (...).
We are already living the bloodbath
, ”she said.
In August, about fifteen people were killed in violence after the announcement of the candidacy of Alassane Ouattara, described as a "
breach
" by the opposition.