The sentencing of Côte d’Ivoire union leader Ghislain Duggary Assy has drawn widespread international criticism, particularly from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. The organization advocated for Assy’s release, underlining the need for Côte d’Ivoire authorities to uphold the right to strike, as enshrined in the national constitution and international labor conventions.
Assy, who is the communications secretary of the teachers’ union Mouvement des Enseignants pour la Dynamique de la Dignité (ME-DD), received a two-year prison sentence on charges of organizing illegal collective action and obstructing public service operations. The charges stem from a work stoppage on April 3 and 4, 2025, which was proceeded by a strike notice, submitted with compliance to legal procedures. However, despite assurances from the government back in October 2024 to form a committee to address issues related to working conditions and quarterly bonuses, union members claim that no meetings have taken place.
The call for Assy’s release from Amnesty International was underscored by statements from Marceau Sivieude, the Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa, asserting that teachers should not face criminal charges for exercising their fundamental rights. Amnesty International further reiterated its demand that the government guarantees the rights to freedom of association, collective bargaining, and fair trial procedures.
Article 18 of Côte d’Ivoire’s constitution permits public and private sector workers to organize and strike, provided they operate within legal boundaries. Local news emphasized the case’s potential to set a legal precedent on how Côte d’Ivoire addresses unions and related constitutional protections, amidst a backdrop of protest movements across different sectors in the country.
The case, attracting such a level of condemnation, highlights the intricate balance between upholding public order and respecting international labor rights, as enshrined by Côte d’Ivoire’s commitments such as the International Labour Organization’s Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, ratified by the country in 1960. The trial itself is slated to begin in the coming weeks.
For more detailed information on the case, the complete article can be accessed on JURIST.