French asylum denied to whistleblower exposing Wagner in Central Africa

A whistleblower from the Central African Republic, who exposed the covert operations of the Wagner Group, has been denied asylum in France despite earlier intervention by President Emmanuel Macron. The journalist, Ephrem Yalike-Ngonzo, had received a special travel document allowing entry into France, where he had been living since 2024.

The refusal of his asylum application sends a strongly discouraging signal to those fighting against Russian propaganda in Africa, according to his legal representative. Yalike-Ngonzo’s revelations have already contributed to sanctions against key figures linked to Moscow’s influence campaigns on the continent.

Journey from informant to fugitive

In late 2019, while working for multiple news outlets, Yalike-Ngonzo was approached and paid modest sums—between 15 and 30 euros per article—to publish content supportive of the Central African military and its Russian allies. His compensation represented only a fraction of his regular income at the time.

By 2024, he had become a crucial source for an investigative project exposing Russia’s covert influence operations in Africa. Facing credible death threats from Wagner operatives, he fled the Central African Republic. His disclosures led to the European Union imposing sanctions on Mikhail Prudnikov, a central figure in Moscow’s propaganda networks in the region.

Awaiting justice in uncertainty

On July 9, an appeal was filed with France’s National Asylum Court. A final decision is not expected for at least a year. In the meantime, Yalike-Ngonzo remains in hiding in France with his family, whose relatives back in the Central African Republic are repeatedly questioned about his whereabouts.