The UN-backed court in the Central African Republic has issued an international arrest warrant for former President François Bozizé, who is currently living in exile in Guinea Bissau. The warrant, issued for human rights abuses, pertains to crimes committed between 2009 and 2013 by the presidential guard and other security forces, according to a spokesperson for the Special Criminal Court. While Bozizé remains in Guinea Bissau, its President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, stated that his country’s laws do not permit extradition and that he has not received any request from Bangui regarding the arrest warrant.
The announcement of the arrest warrant has been welcomed by victims’ associations and individuals affected by the atrocities committed during Bozizé’s regime. Audrey Yamalé, a member of the Association of Victims of the 2013 Crisis, expressed satisfaction with the news but urged Guinea Bissau to cooperate in Bozizé’s extradition. Similarly, Ibrahim Nour, whose father was a victim of torture and killing during Bozizé’s rule, welcomed the warrant as a step toward justice, emphasizing the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.
Despite the issuance of arrest warrants, a significant number of individuals suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity remain at large, as reported by Amnesty International in 2021. The Special Criminal Court, established in Bangui to address war crimes and human rights abuses since 2003, aims to prosecute those responsible for atrocities committed during the country’s civil war and subsequent conflicts.
François Bozizé came to power through a coup in 2003 and was later ousted by rebels, leading to a period of civil war characterized by sectarian violence and the recruitment of child soldiers. Despite a peace deal reached in 2019 between the government and armed groups, fighting persists in the Central African Republic, with thousands dead and over a million displaced, representing one-fifth of the population, according to estimates by the UN peacekeeping mission.
Patryk Labuda, an expert in international criminal law, views the arrest warrant as a significant development in the court’s efforts to hold accountable those responsible for state-sponsored wrongdoing. He emphasized that the issuance of the warrant underscores the court’s commitment to prosecuting crimes committed during Bozizé’s regime and sends a strong message regarding accountability for human rights violations.
