Since the brutal attack on CEID's vice president, Alfredo Okenve, on the afternoon of October 27, various organizations, political parties, institutions, embassies, reknown personalities and citizens from all corners of the world and Equatorial Guinea have shown unprecedented support for Alfredo and CEID.

At the international level, the leading human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, together with CIVICUS, EG Justice and APDHE have shown their support and firm condemnation and appealed to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Frost, to investigate these facts.

Also of utmost importance is the mobilization of local civil society organizations in Equatorial Guinea issuing communications to the director general of Civil Society and to the First Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Democracy and Minister of the Interior and Local Goverment, demanding an investigation of the facts and the punishment of those responsible of an event that is damaging for the civil society organizations in general.

On the other hand, several embassies have publicly shown their support as the Spanish Embassy and the United States Embassy in Malabo.

The support in social media have been overwhelming; with a reach of more than 4000 people in a few days on Facebook, with comments of support and encouragement from renowned writers, activists, Guinean citizens and people from all around the world that echoed these news that appeared in various outlets and international news agencies.

CEID would like to thank all this unprecedented support. "This overwhelming reaction gives me enough moral support to be able to overcome the physical injuries and to overcome the pain," said Alfredo Okenve, who has shown his concern for his personal safety and that of his brother, Celestino Okenve, leader of the Popular Union (UP) opposition party, whose photo was in the possession of his captors and whom they were also looking for.

On the other hand, CEID regrets the confusing statement of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) that seems to speak on behalf of official State bodies, describing as "alleged beatings" a well-documented aggression, and seemingly, they fail to differentiate between civil society organizations and political parties. This party thus loses an opportunity to promote improvements or, at least, to unequivocally and firmly condemn this horrendous event

Since Alfredo's last arrest in Malabo in 2017, CEID has warned about the constant deterioration of civil society participation particularly in the EITI process, which requires the existence of a conducive environment for civil society participation. CEID has called for reforms at the EITI National Commission of Equatorial Guinea in the field of governance that are now required by multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

We hope that the government institutions, through their legitimate representatives, will join the wave of national and international condemnations and, of course, take the necessary protective measures to avoid that similar events ever happen again, and that the judges ensure respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Guineans as required by the national constitution.