An international arrest warrant has been issued for the former President of the Central African Republic, François Bozizé, by a UN-backed court on Tuesday, April 30. Bozizé, currently residing in exile in Guinea Bissau, is wanted for human rights abuses allegedly committed between 2009 and 2013, including crimes carried out by the presidential guard and other security forces, as stated by a spokesperson for the Special Criminal Court.
The announcement of the warrant has been met with mixed reactions. Audrey Yamalé, a member of the Association of Victims of the 2013 Crisis, hailed it as a “great day for us victims,” urging for cooperation from Guinea Bissau in Bozizé’s extradition. Ibrahim Nour, whose father was a victim of torture and murder during this period, expressed relief, stating, “Justice may be slow, but it will eventually catch up with the executioners.”
However, Bozizé’s extradition faces obstacles as President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau declared that his country’s laws do not permit extradition and claimed not to have received any formal request from Bangui regarding the arrest warrant.
The Special Criminal Court, established in Bangui to address war crimes and human rights abuses dating back to 2003, operates within a country marred by violence and instability. Bozizé himself came to power through a coup in 2003 before being ousted by rebels a decade later, sparking a civil war characterized by sectarian violence and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Despite efforts towards peace, such as the 2019 peace deal between the government and 14 armed groups, conflict persists. According to the UN, the violence has claimed thousands of lives and displaced over a million people, amounting to one-fifth of the population.
Patryk Labuda, an expert in international criminal law, at the Polish Academy of Sciences, told the AP that the warrant issued Tuesday sends a message about the court’s intention to prosecute wrongdoing by the state. “This arrest warrant is certainly one of the most high-profile developments in the 5 years the court has operated,” Labuda said.
