According to a statement relayed this Thursday, October 16, 2025 by Abidjan.net , the public prosecutor, Koné Braman Oumar , announced that nearly 700 people were arrested following the banned march organized on October 11 in Abidjan by the PDCI-PPA-CI Common Front .

According to prosecutor Koné Braman Oumar , these arrests are the direct consequence of a flagrant violation of the prefectural decree banning the Common Front march. He warned that his prosecution will not show any leniency: the justice system "will be heavy-handed" in the upcoming hearings.

Addressing Ivorian youth firmly , the magistrate delivered a straightforward message. For him, many young people have been exploited by political leaders , who have remained in the background while others take all the risks in the streets.

"Don't sacrifice your future for politicians hiding behind cameras, who are pushing you to insurrection from the shadows," he said.

The prosecutor believes that the October 11 protest went far beyond a simple administrative protest. He believes it reflected a deliberate desire to disrupt public order and challenge existing institutions.

The mobilization of October 11, 2025, took place following the rejection of the candidacies of Laurent Gbagbo (PPA-CI) and Tidjane Thiam (PDCI-RDA) in the presidential election scheduled for October 25. Although the march was banned by the authorities , groups of activists took to several neighborhoods in Abidjan, including Yopougon , Cocody , Blockhaus and Adjamé , before being dispersed by security forces .

In response to the arrests, the Common Front , formed by the PPA-CI and the PDCI-RDA, announced its intention to continue protests across the country. The group is calling for an inclusive electoral process and is challenging the Constitutional Council's decision.

The Ivorian presidential election will be held on October 25 , as the country enters the final stretch of the electoral campaign .