World · Africa · 4 hrs ago
Spanish judge closes inquiry into alleged kidnapping and torture of four opponents
A Spanish judge has closed an inquiry into the alleged kidnapping and torture of four opponents of Equatorial Guinea’s government.
The case names three senior officials, including President Teodoro Obiang’s son, who have been declared absent from the proceedings and remain unlocated.
The four activists were abducted in 2019 at an airport in South Sudan and taken to Equatorial Guinea, where a military court sentenced them to long prison terms on an alleged coup plot.
One of the four, Julio Obama, died in 2023; the families say they do not know whether the other three are alive.
The judge says the case will be put on hold until the officials are found.
The families have appealed, arguing that important investigative steps remain, including questioning a recently freed former prisoner who may know what happened to the activists.
The case matters because the families still lack answers about the three prisoners and the appeal seeks further investigation.
Spanish judge Santiago Pedraz has closed the inquiry into the alleged kidnapping and torture of four opponents of Equatorial Guinea’s government.
He declared three officials, including President Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s son, to be fugitives and ordered the case archived until they are found.
The four activists, two of them Spanish, were kidnapped in South Sudan in 2019 and taken to Equatorial Guinea.
One of the four, Julio Obama, died in January 2023 in circumstances that have not been clarified.
The families’ lawyer has appealed, arguing that important investigative steps remain outstanding.
- Who
- Judge Santiago Pedraz closed the inquiry. Three Equatorial Guinea officials, including President Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s son, were declared fugitives.
- What
- The inquiry concerns the alleged kidnapping and torture of four opponents, two of them Spanish.
- When
- The activists were kidnapped in November 2019. The article was published on 10 November 2026.
- Where
- The activists were kidnapped at an airport in Juba, South Sudan, and taken to Equatorial Guinea.
- Why
- The judge said the inquiry should be concluded and archived because the three accused officials are fugitives. The families’ lawyer says further investigative steps are needed.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Lawyers representing the families of the kidnapped activists
Case closure
Judge Santiago Pedraz
The judge concluded the inquiry and ordered it archived until the accused are found.
Lawyers representing the families of the kidnapped activists
The families’ lawyer appealed, arguing that important investigative steps approved earlier remain incomplete.
Further inquiries
Judge Santiago Pedraz
The judge had declined to extend the investigation by six months.
Lawyers representing the families of the kidnapped activists
The lawyer says investigators should establish whether the other three kidnapped men are still alive and take testimony from a recently released witness.
Four activists were kidnapped at an airport in Juba, South Sudan, and taken to Equatorial Guinea.
Julio Obama died in circumstances that have not been clarified.
Pedraz ordered that Italy be asked to take testimony from Fulgencio Obiang Esono, a recently released opponent.
The article reported that Pedraz had concluded the inquiry and declared three officials fugitives.
- People declared fugitives
- Carmelo Ovono Obiang, Nicolás Obama Nchama and Isaac Nguema Ondo
- Kidnapped activists
- Four, including two Spanish citizens
- Kidnapping location
- Juba airport, South Sudan
- Kidnapping date
- November 2019
- Deceased activist
- Julio Obama, who died in January 2023
- Court action
- Inquiry concluded and archived until the three accused are found