[JURIST] President Ali Bongo Ondimba on Wednesday refused to address the EU’s recent findings regarding an anomaly in last week’s presidential election. Following his loss to Bongo in the poll results, opposing candidate Jean Ping questioned [Herald report] the results from Bongo’s home province, Haut-Ogooue, where the voter turnout was 99.93 percent and Bongo received 95 percent of those votes. An EU observing commission investigated the matter and found such a voter turnout to be an anomaly, stating that the average voter turnout in other provinces was only 48 percent. The commission’s chief therefore called on Bongo to answer the public cries for transparency and publish the polling results for verification. Instead of responding to the commission, Bongo accused Ping of committing fraud and utilizing “cyber-criminals” in a plot to seize power of Gabon. Ping thereafter rejected accusations and pleaded for international assistance to help determine himself as the rightful victor of the election. The US and France have already urged Bongo to release the poll results, and the African Union has offered to help find a resolution.

As a result of the election, protests began in Gabon and at least three people have been killed, 100 injured and 800 arrested in mass protests [CFR report]. A report released last week by Amnesty International condemned Gabon security forces [JURIST report] for using excessive force against protesters after the country’s disputed election. Protesters attacked the national assembly building, and in response police used tear gas and arrested hundreds that emerged from the building. Ping claims that his headquarters were bombed by security forces killing at least two people. Amid recent protests and outbreaks of violence, Gabon’s Justice Minister Seraphim Moundounga resigned [JURIST report] from his post on Tuesday.