from a company’s failure to comply with the law could seek compensation before a French court. ARMS TRADE The government continued to license weapon transfers to governments that were likely to use them to commit serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law. The government continued to license weapon transfers to members of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen and to Egypt. In May, the Senate recommended the use of armed remotely piloted vehicles (drones) for the armed forces to improve their effectiveness in military operations. The Minister of Defence confirmed concrete plans to use armed drones from 2019, but the authorities were yet to articulate and implement clear policies on their use and transfer. GABON Gabonese Republic Head of state: Ali Bongo Ondimba Head of government: Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet The new Communications Code was criticized by journalists for its vague and overly broad provisions, and a newspaper was suspended. Prominent opposition supporters were arbitrarily arrested. The activities of the teachers’ unions were severely restricted. Representatives of the ICC conducted a two-day visit. BACKGROUND Presidential candidate Jean Ping continued to contest the results of the August 2016 presidential elections, and in September 2017 he was temporarily denied the right to leave the country. Legislative elections were postponed until April 2018. In November, the report submitted by Gabon and parallel reports submitted by civil society organizations were examined under the UN UPR process. 168 FREEDOMS OF EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY In January, the new Communications Code came into force. The Code was criticized by journalists for its vague and overly broad provisions, including prohibitions on Gabonese nationals working for local media outlets outside the country, and provisions banning the use of pseudonyms, holding printers and distributors jointly responsible for any infractions, and an obligation for media to “contribute to the country’s image and national cohesion”. On 17 March, the authorities suspended the activities of CONASYSED, the main teachers’ union, citing “disturbance of public order” caused by strikes that began in October 2016. The Minister of Education also ordered the suspension of the payment of salaries to over 800 teachers in order to end the strike. In June 2017 the National Council of Communication banned Les Echos du Nord, a newspaper considered to be close to the political opposition, for statements deemed defamatory against President Bongo and Prime Minister Issoze-Ngondet. The outlet reopened in August. ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS On 14 April, Alain Djally, an assistant to opposition leader Jean Ping, was arrested without a warrant in the capital, Libreville. He was blindfolded and ill-treated by men in plain clothes, but allowed to see his lawyer the day after his arrest. After that he was denied access. He was detained at the Direction Générale de la Recherche, a facility run by the Gabonese intelligence services, before being transferred to the central prison in Libreville, where he was kept in solitary confinement for the entire period of his detention. He was charged with impersonating an active service member and illegal possession of firearms, for retaining his old military ID card and possessing a blankfiring gun. His lawyer claimed such a weapon did not require a permit, and that the charges were politically motivated. He was provisionally released on 23 June. Amnesty International Report 2017/18