Bangui, May 25, 2015 (FH) \u2013 The Central African Republic (CAR) wants to learn lessons from the Extraordinary African Chambers (EAC), set up within the Senegalese justice system to try former Chadian president Hiss\u00e8ne Habr\u00e9. It is in this context, after the CAR voted to set up its own Special Court, that meetings took place last week between envoys from the EAC, Central African human rights organizations and local lawyers, who will certainly have a role to play in the Special Court.<\/p>\n
A bill to set up the Special Court was adopted by the CAR\u2019s transitional parliament on April 22 by a big majority of votes. It had been submitted to Parliament by the government on February 6.<\/p>\n
The Court\u2019s mandate is to bring to justice those suspected of the most serious crimes (war crimes and crimes against humanity) committed on CAR territory since 2003.<\/p>\n
Last week\u2019s discussions in Bangui focused notably on what is at stake in setting up such a court in the CAR. Central African lawyers followed with interest explanations on the development of the EAC, where the trial is due to start on July 20 of the former Chadian president, who has been living in exile in Senegal since he was driven from power in 1990. Habr\u00e9 is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture committed during his eight-year rule in Chad.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Extraordinary African Chambers (based in Senegal), an African initiative, and the Special Criminal Court (for the CAR) are part of the judicial system of these two countries, which is an advantage in terms of cost, proximity to the populations concerned and potential to strengthen national judicial capacities,\u201d said Franck Petit, who heads Outreach for the EAC. He put forward the view that the Special Criminal Court, supported by the United Nations, will lead Central African lawyers to change a certain number of habits that have helped discredit the national judicial system.<\/p>\n
Local lawyers and magistrates also raised concerns about the security of the future Court\u2019s judges and their families, the non-retroactivity of the Court\u2019s mandate, the fact that the CAR still has the death penalty, and the Court\u2019s contribution to re-establishing security in the country.<\/p>\n
For Central African lawyer C\u00e9lestin Nzala, these are all legitimate questions. However, he believes a \u201cbold solution for the Central African Republic\u201d is needed, otherwise \u201cimpunity will continue to fuel the cycle of violence\u201d.<\/p>\n
MP Blaise Fleury Otto, who chairs the parliamentary commission on legislation, is of the same opinion. \u201cThe creation of the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic responds to the desire of the whole population to end impunity for the most serious crimes committed in the CAR since January 1, 2003,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
After being passed by the transitional parliament, the bill on the Special Court must now be promulgated by President Catherine Samba-Panza. \u201cThis will happen soon,\u201d promised Justice Minister Aristide Sokambi, who attended the opening of the discussions.<\/p>\n
Human rights organizations have urged the CAR government to sign it into law as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
According to the bill passed by parliament, the Special Criminal Court for the CAR will be a hybrid court within the country\u2019s judicial system, i.e. composed of both Central African and international judges. The Court\u2019s President will be Central African, while the Prosecutor will be from another country.<\/p>\n
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Bangui, May 25, 2015 (FH) \u2013 The Central African Republic (CAR) wants to learn lessons from the Extraordinary African Chambers (EAC), set up within the Senegalese justice system to try former Chadian president Hiss\u00e8ne Habr\u00e9. It is in this context, after the CAR voted to set up its own Special Court, that meetings took place […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"ji_location":[2165],"class_list":["post-346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reconciliation","ji_location-central-african-republic"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n