The Bangui Court of Appeal, Central African Republic, has sentenced a European national, Martin Figueira, to 10 years of hard labor after finding him guilty of espionage and offences against state security.
Figueira, who holds dual Belgian and Portuguese citizenship, was convicted on six counts, including espionage, undermining state security, participation in a criminal association, and incitement to hatred and rebellion. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 50 million CFA francs to the Central African Republic (CAR).
The court’s ruling on November 4, 2025, followed a week-long trial that began on October 28. Figueira, an employee of the American humanitarian organization FHI 360, was arrested in Zemio in May 2024.
Prosecutors had requested a 20-year sentence, accusing the aid worker of maintaining links with armed groups and engaging in unauthorized cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During the hearings, the court heard testimony that Figueira allegedly acted as an intermediary between the ICC and leaders of several armed groups, including Noureddine Adam, Bello Saidou, and Ousmane Mahamat. The prosecution also claimed that funds were transferred to these groups through Figueira in connection with his alleged collaboration with an ICC official, Nicolas Herrera.
The defense, however, maintained that Figueira’s activities were consistent with humanitarian work and denied all allegations of espionage or subversion.
The verdict has drawn attention from international observers, with questions likely to arise over the implications for foreign humanitarian operations in the conflict-torn nation.
