In the Ndélé 2 case, six defendants were found guilty of crimes against humanity, including murder, attempted murder, inhuman acts and persecution, and war crimes, and sentenced to between 18 and 25 years’ imprisonment
LONDON, United Kingdom, June 20, 2025/APO Group/ --
Reacting to the news that the Special Criminal Court has convicted six former combatants of the Popular Front for the Rebirth of the Central African Republic (Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique) for crimes against humanity and war crimes, Alice Banens, Legal Adviser at Amnesty International, said:
“The decision handed down by the Special Criminal Court (SCC) in the Ndélé 2 case represents a breakthrough in the fight against impunity for serious crimes committed in the Central African Republic. Light has been shed on the atrocities committed in Ndélé in March 2020.
“However, four of the six people found guilty and given heavy sentences were convicted in absentia. Amnesty International considers that the defendant’s right to be present at their trial, to prepare their defence with their lawyer, and to address the Court directly are pillars of the right of defence, without which there can be no fair trial.
“Several suspects who are accused of serious crimes and subject to arrest warrants from the SCC are still at large. This situation continues to deprive victims of their right to truth, justice and effective reparation. The execution of arrest warrants is essential if the fight against impunity is not to be selective.”
Background
In the Ndélé 2 case, six defendants were found guilty of crimes against humanity, including murder, attempted murder, inhuman acts and persecution, and war crimes, and sentenced to between 18 and 25 years’ imprisonment. In March 2020, the town of Ndélé, in the north-east of the country, was attacked by members of the Popular Front for the Rebirth of the Central African Republic, an armed group from the former Séléka coalition. The violence left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of people.
The Special Criminal Court is a hybrid court set up in the Central African Republic in 2018. It is composed of Central African and non-Central African judges and personnel. It was created to investigate, prosecute and judge the most serious crimes committed since 2003.
The Ndélé 2 case is the third to be heard by the SCC since the effective start of its judicial work, following the Paoua and Ndélé 1 cases.
In 2020 and 2021, Amnesty International published two reports analyzing the challenges facing the SCC. The organization called for increased support for the Court and greater transparency.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
The media has no role to play when governments become inherently corrupt. The media becomes a victim just as the civilians as we have seen it abused by Somaliland news portals.
An example is qarannes administered from the UK and yet showing no remorse for the people their government had killed during Ramadan except blaming them for demonstrating against UDUB fascism.
If those living in the diasporas are cruel like qarannews, what would the controlled media inside SL be?
Qannews is funded by the wicked government and Mr.Awil particularly. Its the worse website I have ever seen. I ceased to look at it. Somalilanders at large must boycott this website regardless of thier political or tribal affiliations, because Qarannews does not serve the purpose at all.
This website only deffends the tyran and his four thiefs.
Somaliland will succeed Insha Allaahu Tacaalaa.
Akhyaarta waad iska dhawaaqdeen, idinkon xaalada meel fog ka eegin! runtu waxay tahay waxa og ninka wadanka gudahiisa jooga ee anaga na dhagaysta. adeer media hu wax sida u badani gaadhi mayso, inta ay iyagu ka feejigan yihiin.. laakiin dhibtu waxay ka aloosmi doonta marka khamarjiyo halkan hargaysa jooga ay gabaad ka dhigtaan doorashada ama codaynta! ragiinan qurbaha degena waxan u sheegaya in xaaladu ka fogtahay sidan ad u haysatan. adeer somalidu horey ayey u tidhi: habar fadhida lagdini la fudud! marka xaalku wu ka baladhan yahay sidad u malaysan e ducada dalka iyo dadkaba ku so dara oo comments-kiinanam xaga positive-ka u badiya. ducooy aamiin.