A coalition of opposition parties in Liberia is condemning the arrest of former Speaker Fonati Koffa and three lawmakers, calling it a political witch-hunt.

The group, made up of Alternative National Congress (ANC), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), and Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), says the arrests are part of a crackdown on dissent and demand the lawmakers’ immediate release.

They warn that the move mirrors past eras of political repression and judicial abuse in Liberia’s history.

Authorities allege the lawmakers were involved in a 2024 arson attack on the Capitol building.