Relatives gather outside the Palais de Justice (law courts) in Libreville waiting for news of those who were arrested following post-election chaos.
He said an Ivorian national had been arrested in Ping’s headquarters on Monday, adding: “We are not saying that Ivory Coast is involved but some highly-placed Ivorians are.”
According to an AFP count, post-election chaos has claimed at least seven lives in the oil-rich central African nation, ruled by the Bongo family since 1967.
Gabonese authorities, however, said Monday the toll was three killed and 105 wounded, with the government saying some deaths had previously been incorrectly attributed to the clashes.
Valls on Tuesday also called on the Gabonese authorities to establish the whereabouts of around 15 French nationals who have been missing since the violence began.
“We have no news of around 15 French citizens, who are in many cases French-Gabonese dual nationals. We ask the Gabonese authorities that everything be done to find them,” he said
Gabon’s foreign ministry confirmed the authorities had arrested some Franco-Gabonese nationals, saying the justice ministry would answer any questions from concerned families.
But it also said dual nationals living in Gabon would be subject to Gabonese laws.
800 arrests
Some 800 people have been arrested in recent days in the capital, with the authorities accusing them of looting, while lawyers say they are being held in “deplorable” conditions.
One third of Gabon’s population lives in poverty, even though the country boasts one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes, thanks to oil revenue
Several prisoners told AFP they had been beaten, denied food and water or questioned harshly by authorities.
“There were no toilets. We slept in our pee,” said a man who asked that his name be given as Matthieu to protect his identity.
Meanwhile, a high-level African Union delegation including heads of state is ready to be dispatched to Libreville to help calm the situation, AU chairman and Chad President Idriss Deby said.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon spoke to both Bongo and Ping on Sunday and “deplored the loss of life”, a UN statement said, adding that he “called for an immediate end to all acts of violence.”
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