July 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The International Criminal Court has published an arrest warrant against the ‘number two’ of the Séléka rebel movement, Nourredim Adam, for the torture and kidnappings committed during the armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2012 and 2013.
Thousands of people died and hundreds of thousands had to flee their homes due to the conflict between Séléka and the ‘anti-balaka’ militias after the former, with a Muslim majority, seized power in March 2013 in the country, from Christian majority. In response, Christian militias were formed and responded with violence, further causing a displacement of the Muslim population from areas in the south of the country.
The arrests and detentions, within the framework of this humanitarian conflict, have been taking place since in September 2014 the former ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, decided to open an investigation to clarify what happened and hold those responsible accountable.
According to an ICC statement, Adam is suspected of crimes against humanity (imprisonment or other serious deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts) and war crimes (torture and cruel treatment).
“These crimes were allegedly committed in the detention centers of the Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry) and the Extraordinary Committee for the Defense of Democratic Achievements) in Bangui, between April 12, 2013 and November 27, 2013 “, he stressed, qualifying that an arrest warrant had already “originally been issued sealed on January 7, 2019.”
In March, Attorney General Karim Jan applauded Chad’s handover of ‘anti-balaka’ militia leader Maxime Mokom, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity “perpetrated in Bangui and elsewhere in the Central African Republic in 2013 and 2014”.
The agency also opened legal proceedings against Said Abdel Kani, also known as Mahamat Said Abdel Kain, Mahamat Said Abdelkani and as ‘Mr. Said’ for 14 counts of crimes against humanity (imprisonment or serious deprivation of liberty, torture, persecution, forced disappearances and other inhumane acts), as well as war crimes (torture and cruel treatment).
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