Call on the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) to respect his commitments to justice
Victims of war crimes in CAR are desperately waiting to be summoned to court to testify to the human rights violations they have suffered and to hold those responsible to account. Act now and demand justice for them by sending an email to President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
Agnes* is a mother who lost her children in events that she still finds it hard to recount. In 2013, in the midst of the conflict, she was forced to flee with her family to seek refuge in a hospital. Armed men entered the hospital and removed all the boys present, including her two sons. A few minutes later, she heard gunshots, but had no idea what had just happened. After some time, a girl ran back in and told her: “They’ve killed all the boys.” In shock, Agnes then went to the site of the massacre where she saw the bodies of her two sons. She has been waiting for justice ever since.
Khadija* is also a mother who filed a complaint for the murder of her 17-year-old son in October 2013. To this day, her complaint remains unresolved. Her son was killed by members of the anti-balaka armed group. They cut him into pieces and threw him in the bushes. It was only after three days of searching that his parents were able to find his body in an advanced state of decomposition and give him a funeral.
These stories are numerous in CAR and all victims or family members of victims want to testify before a court and finally obtain justice. Some have been waiting for almost a decade, while those allegedly responsible for these crimes remain free – or even hold high positions in government.
The mandate of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) in the Central African Republic is also coming to an end. Without its renewal, justice may not be served for war crimes committed against the population.
It is therefore essential that the Central African authorities ensure that both the SCC’s mandate and its funding are renewed. All necessary measures must furthermore be taken for the prompt execution of the SCC’s arrest warrants, regardless of the political, social or military status of the people targeted by these warrants.
Join our activists and supporters in calling for justice for the victims of war crimes committed in CAR. Act now and send an email to President Touadéra demanding that he keep his promises of justice to the people of the Central African Republic.
Source: Amnesty International