Michael Asiedu argues that in Guinea and Gabon, judges are doing more than routine certification. By validating post-coup elections, courts transform military rulers into constitutional presidents — without requiring genuine democracy
Chad's 20-year conviction of opposition leader Succès Masra reveals how African courts have become weaponised against dissent. Across the continent, writes Michael Asiedu, from Benin to Uganda, authoritarian regimes are increasingly using fabricated charges to silence opponents. This, he says, masks repression behind democratic facades, erodes judicial independence, and weakens the prospects for genuine democratic transition
Doctoral Researcher, Institute of Political Science, University of St Gallen
Michael is an emerging scholar in comparative politics whose work explores the intersections of law, technology, and politics in Africa.
He recently defended his PhD dissertation, 'Internet Shutdowns before Authoritarian Courts in Africa', which examines how civil society organisations challenge government-imposed internet shutdowns and how courts adjudicate digital repression cases in authoritarian contexts across the continent.
He is currently preparing individual manuscripts from his dissertation for journal submissions and has published review essays in Democratization, Political Studies Review, and African Affairs.
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