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Portrait of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Born in Equatorial Guinea · Nationality Equatorial Guinean — politics / authoritarianism / human rights / corruption / dynastic succession

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

Politics and governmentAuthoritarian regimes, wars and mass atrocities

Documented profile covering 8 controversies, including “1979–2026: Retention of power, PDGE dominance and elections without effective competition” and “Arbitrary arrests, torture, incommunicado detention and political prisoners under Obiang regime”.

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Profile No. 2190 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
8Documented controversies
8Sources
0Formal charge · all time
0Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

01

1979–2026

1979–2026: Retention of power, PDGE dominance and elections without effective competition

No legal proceedings

Under Obiang, the PDGE retained a near-monopoly on political power, while opponents faced arrests, prosecutions and harassment; he was again declared the winner in 2022 with approximately 95% of the vote.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Political responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Human Rights WatchWorld Report 2010: Equatorial GuineaNGO reportVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    Reuters / EuronewsEquatorial Guinea president wins re-election, VP says on TwitterNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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02

années 1980–2026

Arbitrary arrests, torture, incommunicado detention and political prisoners under Obiang regime

No legal proceedings

Repeated reports document torture, arbitrary detention, unfair trials and political prisoners, notably at Black Beach prison and Interior Ministry facilities.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Political responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Human Rights WatchEquatorial Guinea | Country PageNGO reportVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of State2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Equatorial GuineaOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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03

années 1990–2026

Oil wealth, persistent poverty and high-level corruption allegations involving presidential family

No legal proceedings

HRW describes a system in which oil revenues finance the lifestyles of a small elite surrounding the President while much of the population remains poor, amid credible allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Political responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Human Rights WatchEquatorial Guinea | Country PageNGO reportVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    Human Rights WatchWorld Report 2018: Equatorial GuineaNGO reportVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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04

2017–2023

2017–2023: Dismantling of Citizens for Innovation and long sentences for Gabriel Nze Obiang and other opponents

Conviction — against Gabriel Nze Obiang

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Citizens for Innovation was deregistered in 2018 after waves of arrests; in 2023, its leader Gabriel Nze Obiang received a 29-year prison sentence in proceedings widely condemned as politically motivated.

State of the evidence
Documented
Person targeted by the proceedings
Gabriel Nze Obiang
Role of the person profiled
Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of State2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Equatorial GuineaOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

05

September 2022

2022: Police operation against Citizens for Innovation, alleged deaths, arrests and torture before election

No legal proceedings

During an operation against the headquarters of Citizens for Innovation, opponents were killed according to the party, numerous activists were arrested and allegations of torture were reported in the pre-election period.

State of the evidence
Documented

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of State2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Equatorial GuineaOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

2016–2021

2016–2021: State brings ICJ case over immunity and Paris property linked to Teodorin proceedings

Civil / administrative proceedings

Equatorial Guinea brought proceedings before the ICJ to challenge the French case against Teodorin and the status of the property at 42 Avenue Foch; Teodorin's French conviction was ultimately upheld in 2021.

State of the evidence
Documented

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Court of JusticeImmunities and Criminal Proceedings (Equatorial Guinea v. France)Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Court of JusticeApplication instituting proceedings - property related to Teodoro Nguema Obiang MangueCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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07

2012–2016

2012–2016: Promotes son Teodorin to vice-presidency amid foreign corruption investigations

Protagonist not prosecuted

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Obiang promoted his son Teodorin to vice-presidential positions while the latter was under investigation in France and the United States for money laundering and embezzlement.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Political responsibility
Role of the person profiled
Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Human Rights WatchWorld Report 2018: Equatorial GuineaNGO reportVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Court of JusticeImmunities and Criminal Proceedings (Equatorial Guinea v. France)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

August 1979

1979: Seizes power in coup against Francisco Macías Nguema

No legal proceedings

Obiang overthrew his uncle Francisco Macías Nguema in a military coup in August 1979 and became head of state.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    Human Rights WatchEquatorial Guinea | Country PageNGO reportVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

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