Côte d'Ivoire: UN experts concerned "crimes against humanity"

Violations of human rights in Côte d'Ivoire, following the presidential election on Nov. 28, could constitute "crimes against humanity" to be "severely punished", say experts from the UN Friday, December 31. "According to credible sources, enforced or involuntary disappearances, arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and acts of sexual violence may have occurred or could still occur in Côte d'Ivoire" , denounced these experts depending on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.


Enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention "When they are committed under certain circumstances, enforced disappearance amount to crimes against humanity. Those who perpetrated these heinous acts must be held accountable," they continue. "Hundreds of people were arbitrarily arrested and detained.

Some were taken by force in illegal places of detention where they are held incommunicado and without charge, "they still alarmed, considering these" practices such atrocious violations of human man ". UN post-election violence has caused 179 deaths since mid-December.

If the experts observed a decrease in abuse in recent days, the risks of confrontation still remain important in the country. After attempts to negotiate their three mediators Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde, the military leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have finalized their plans on Friday to overthrow by force the Past President Laurent Gbagbo if discussions to relinquish power fail.

"This is the last resort, but with any luck, Gbagbo will be convinced to leave power in a manner unconstrained military policy," he said the spokesman of the Nigerian army. A follow up meeting to refine the logistics issues is planned in Mali on 17 and 18 January. "The meeting will decide on all terms of the transaction, how long troops will stay and when they are deployed," said the spokesman.

• Côte d'Ivoire suspended from African Union (11/12/2010)
• Uncertain Election Results in Côte d'Ivoire Leave the Country on Edge (11/12/2010)
• Côte d'Ivoire: Ivorian Internet Users Fear a New Era of Terror in Abidjan (20/12/2010)
• This Round Goes to South Korea (20/12/2010)
• Calamitous Côte d'Ivoire: Another big test for Africa (09/12/2010)

Côte d'Ivoire (geolocation)  Côte d'Ivoire (wikipedia)