According to Amnesty International, “on the twenty-five stop mandates awarded so far, only one has been executed”.
Le Monde with AFP
Dozens of people suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity are still at liberty in Central African Republic, prey to fighting between rebels and the army, lamented on Wednesday, December 8 Amnesty International.
In a statement, the NGO regrets that “on the twenty-five arrest warrants awarded so far” by the Central African Criminal Court (CPS) “only one has been executed, resulting in the Arrest (…) of Minister Hassan Bouba Ali “. But even this one was “released a few days later by the Central African authorities, apart from any judicial decision,” says Amnesty International.
Former Rebel leader who became the Minister of Livestock, Hassan Bouba Ali is suspected by the American NGO The Sentry to be responsible for the attack of a moved camp in November 2018 in Alindao, 500 kilometers to the East of Bangui, who had resulted in the death of at least 112 villagers, including 19 children.
Accused of crime against humanity, he was arrested on November 19 but exfilled from his prison by gendarmes a week later. On November 29, it was decorated with the National Order of Merit by President Faustin Archangel Touadéra.
Crimes, Acts of Torture
The SPC is a hybrid jurisdiction, composed of parity of Central African and international magistrates, responsible for judging the serious violations of human rights committed in Bangui since 2003.
The Central African Republic, considered one of the least developed countries in the world by the United Nations, is the theater since 2013 of a civil war first very deadly but which has fallen considerably from intensity after 2018, even If whole sections of territories continue to escape the central power of Bangui.
Amnesty International also denounced a “lack of support from the political authorities for the mission of the Court”. The NGO called on the political authorities and the United Nations to “ensure that all alleged leaders of international law crimes (…) be subject to real investigations and judged in the framework of fair trials”. “The vast majority of victims always expect justice, truth and repairs”, continues the organization of human rights defense.
In October, the Central African Justice Minister had acknowledged part of the charges made by the United Nations, including crimes and acts of torture, committed “mainly” by rebels, but also by soldiers and their allies “instructors” Russians “.