Central African Republic: what do we know about the commission of inquiry into Russian abuses?
A member of the close protection unit of the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, made up of agents from the Russian private security company Sewa Security, is seen in Berengo on August 4, 2018. AFP - FLORENT VERGNES
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
The Central African authorities have unveiled the composition of the commission of inquiry, announced Monday on the abuses attributed to the Central African army and the Russian mercenaries present at its side.
Monday, RFI unveiled an investigation on the subject.
A few days earlier, Minusca gave the Central African government a document listing a whole series of abuses documented by it to attract its attention.
It is in this context that the government set up a special commission of inquiry.
What do we know about this commission?
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Objective assigned to this commission according to the decree on its creation: "to
shed light on the alleged serious crimes" and human rights violations allegedly committed by the Central African armed forces and their allies
". "
Would have
" because at this stage the Central African government qualifies the abuses documented by RFI and Minusca as "
simple denunciations
".
This commission will be composed essentially of magistrates, placed under the direct authority of the Minister of Justice as well as the general prosecutors of the 3 courts of appeal of the country, and will therefore be responsible for "
questioning any person whose hearing
" will be deemed necessary for the manifestation of the truth and then to report back to the minister for "
all purposes of justice
".
►
To read also: In the Central African Republic, victims of Russian abuses are breaking the law of silence
"
We hope that the truth will
emerge", estimates Gervais Lakosso, coordinator of the working group of the civil society, even if he would have liked, he said, that this work be entrusted to an "
independent commission and not placed under the political authority
”.
Other sources active in the field of human rights also wonder about what will be "
the guarantees of confidentiality and security for victims and witnesses
" and on the "
possibilities of prosecution in the Central African Republic against foreign mercenaries
" .
►
To read also: Russian abuses in the Central African Republic: the government reacts to the RFI investigation
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Central African Republic