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In a significant move that underscores South Africa's commitment to human rights and the rule of law, the South African Parliament has thrown its weight behind efforts to secure the release of two South African engineers, Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter, currently held in detention in Equatorial Guinea. The arrest of these two men has sparked international concern and has been condemned as arbitrary by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter, who were employed in the offshore oil and gas sector, found themselves ensnared in a complex legal quagmire unrelated to their work or personal conduct. They were arrested on charges of drug smuggling in February 2023, receiving 12-year prison sentences in a case that seems to be entangled with a broader legal dispute involving Equatorial Guinea's vice-president Teodoro Obiang and a South African business person.
Press release by the families of Frik Potgieter & Peter Huxham, the two South African engineers who have been illegally imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea since 9 February 2023 on trumped up drug trafficking charges.https://t.co/eTJifem94s pic.twitter.com/dZoXbJWj7J
— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid) October 23, 2024
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an opinion in July, declaring their detention unlawful and demanding their immediate release. In response to this mounting pressure, South Africa's Parliament has passed a motion demanding the South African authorities intensify their efforts to free Huxham and Potgieter.
Families of the detained engineers and spokespersons, Shaun Murphy and Francois Nigrini, respectively, have expressed gratitude for Parliament’s backing and the international support received. Notably, nearly 15,000 people from around the world have shown solidarity by signing the FreeFrikandPeter.co.za petition.
The case also features a broader geopolitical context that touches on high-profile seizures, including the detention of a luxury yacht linked to Vice-President Obiang and legal action involving two prominent Cape Town properties. It is within this backdrop of property and asset contention that Huxham and Potgieter's predicament unfolds.
Emma Powell of the Democratic Alliance tabled Tuesday’s parliamentary motion, which unanimously condemned the arrests of Huxham and Potgieter and reinforced South Africa's dedication to protecting its citizens abroad, respecting international legal standards, and upholding fundamental human rights.
The plight of the two men has evolved into an emblematic struggle against so-called "hostage diplomacy" that portrays a stark infringement on individual liberties. Their case has garnered a significant outcry, and the South African government is now urged to prioritize diplomatic engagement and every possible avenue for their release, reflecting both the resolve and conscience of the nation.