European aid worker in Central African Republic on hunger strike after spying arrest

A European aid worker who was arrested two months ago in the Central African Republic over spying allegations has begun a hunger strike to protest the conditions of his detention, his family and the Portuguese honorary consul told The Associated Press.

Martin Joseph Figueira, a consultant for the American nongovernmental organization FHI 360, was arrested in May, according to the Central African Republic prosecutor's office. He is accused of being in communication with armed groups to plot a coup, jeopardizing national security, the office added, but is yet to face official charges.

Figueira initially was detained in “relatively good conditions,” Victor Manuel Alves da Rocha, the Portuguese honorary consul in Bangui, said in a phone call. But around a week ago, Figueira was transferred to a political prison called Camp de Roux, located at army headquarters in Bangui, where conditions are “very difficult," da Rocha said.

“He started a hunger strike three days ago, because he is innocent, and he wants to prove his innocence,” da Rocha said. “He also wants to protest the bad conditions of his detention.”

According to da Rocha, Figueira has been refusing food brought daily by a representative of the Belgian consul and is “weak.”

Figueira's brother, Georges Martin, told confirmed to the AP that his brother began a hunger strike on July 14 " in protest “of what's happening to him."

Georges Martin issued a statement earlier this month calling the accusations against his brother false and “a clear injustice”. He said his brother was a “fervent defender of peace.”

Authorities in Central African Republic could not immediately be reached.

FHI 360, a public health organization that manages projects related to family planning and reproductive health, confirmed that one of its workers is in custody in Central African Republic.

In a statement this week, FHI 360 said Figueira was detained on May 26. It said he had come to the country to "support the design of a project focused on alleviating poverty, growing economic opportunities and preventing gender-based violence. The allegations against Mr. Martin do not align with the facts surrounding his visit or the work of FHI 360.”

The statement called it a “profoundly difficult time” for Figueira and urged a “swift resolution” that would allow him to return to his family, adding: "We trust that the government of the Central African Republic will respect due process in this matter as well as Mr. Martin’s other legal rights.”

Figueira was arrested in Zemio, a town in southeastern Central African Republic that has been plagued by fighting between ethnic militias and anti-government rebels for over a decade.

Following his arrest, the military was deployed to Zemio after more than six years of absence from the town. The Russian mercenary group Wagner, which has had a significant presence in Central African Republic for years, was also deployed there at the same time to train local militias and recruit them for the army.

Central African Republic has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then-president, François Bozizé, from office. Mostly Christian militias fought back. A 2019 peace deal helped slow the fighting but six of the 14 armed groups that signed later left the agreement.

A U.N. peacekeeping mission and Rwandan troops are currently deployed in the Central African Republic to try to quell the violence and protect civilians.