Detained aid worker Joseph Figueira Martin freed in Central African Republic

Martin’s brother told AP that “the rumor is real and he should land in Lisbon in a couple of hours.”

Joseph Figueira Martin’s family said Tuesday that the detained aid worker who had been held in the Central African Republic for nearly two years has been freed.

AP reported that Martin’s brother said the release was real and that Martin “should land in Lisbon in a couple of hours.” AP said the government had not yet confirmed the release or commented on the status of Martin’s legal case.

Martin, a dual Belgian-Portuguese citizen, is a consultant for the American aid organization FHI 360, according to the report. He had been arrested in May 2024 in Zemio, in the country’s southeast, where the violence has included fighting between ethnic militias and anti-government rebels for more than a decade, AP said.

The Central African Republic prosecutor’s office said at the time of the arrest that Martin faced allegations of spying, of being in communication with armed groups to plot a coup, and of jeopardizing national security, the report said. AP said Martin was held in a military prison.

While in detention, AP reported that Martin started a hunger strike to protest the conditions of his confinement.

AP said arrests of foreign aid workers in the Central African Republic are rare, but that the government has been tightening its grip on aid organizations operating in areas where military forces are fighting armed groups. The report said authorities warned foreign NGO workers after Martin’s arrest against activities that could jeopardize national security, or face judicial proceedings.

The Central African Republic has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced former President François Bozizé from office, AP said. The fighting has involved mostly Christian militias pushing back under a broader patchwork of armed groups and shifting alliances, the report said.

AP also cited the presence of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the country, saying it is active to hold off armed rebel groups and help keep President Faustin-Archange Touadera in power.