Ivory Coast dissolves student unions after deaths and a police raid

Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The government of Ivory Coast has announced a ban on all student union associations following the death of two students and the arrest of 17 suspects. Thursday’s ban came after a government raid against student housing controlled by the FESCI student union. The government says the union was connected to the deaths. The National Security Council said it has discovered large caches of weapons as well as several “illegal businesses” within the housing complex. The arrests targeted FESCI’s leadership including the union’s general secretary. FESCI on Friday called the decision “a flagrant violation of the right to association, assembly and peaceful demonstration conferred by the Constitution” and denied any involvement in the deaths.