The Special Criminal Court (SCC) issued an arrest warrant against the former president of the Central African Republic (CAR), François Bozizé, in February, for alleged crimes against humanity including murder, enforced disappearances, torture, and rape, it was announced on Tuesday. Bozizé is accused of committing these crimes while serving as a superior civilian and military leader.
Currently residing in Guinea Bissau, Amnesty International has advocated for Bozizé’s immediate arrest and return to CAR authorities. The rights group stated that at least 25 arrest warrants have been issued by the SCC against war crimes suspects who remain at large.
The Central African Republic has been mired in repeated waves of violence and armed conflicts since 2002, resulting in countless violations of international law committed with impunity. The SCC was established in 2015, in collaboration with the UN, to combat impunity for crimes under international law and human rights abuses committed in the country since the onslaught of conflict. A report reveals that very few war criminals have been arrested, prosecuted or tried, presenting the SCC with significant obstacles in its mission.
This is not the first time an arrest warrant has been issued for Bozizé. In 2014, an international warrant was issued against him for charges including murder, illegal detainment, torture, kidnapping, and extrajudicial executions. Bozizé, who had seized power in a 2003 coup, was eventually overthrown and exiled in 2013.