ICC Convicts Central African Republic Seleka Leader for Crimes Against Humanity
International Criminal Court Verdict and Background
By Stephanie van den Berg
Conviction of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani
THE HAGUE, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Judges at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday convicted a former Seleka militia leader from the Central African Republic of crimes against humanity including torture.
Details of the Charges
Prosecutors accused Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of running a prison where suspected supporters of then-President Francois Bozize were beaten and tortured. He denied all charges.
Judicial Findings
Presiding judge Miatta Maria Samba said that Said and others oversaw beatings and torture of prisoners as part of a plan to target perceived Bozize supporters in the capital Bangui.
He was found guilty on four counts of crimes against humanity including persecution and torture. The judges dismissed several war crimes charges, finding that at the time the alleged crimes were committed the armed conflict had already ended.
Reaction and Sentencing
Said, dressed in jeans and a blue sweatshirt, gave no reaction as the verdict was read out.
A separate hearing will determine his sentence.
Background on the Central African Republic Conflict
The predominantly Muslim rebels known as Seleka, or "alliance" in the Sango language, seized power in 2013 as part of the Central African Republic's long-running civil war, ousting Bozize. Their rule gave rise to opposing "anti-Balaka" Christian-dominated militias.
ICC Investigations and Previous Convictions
The ICC has been investigating the violence in the Central African Republic since 2014. It has convicted two "anti-Balaka" leaders, but Said is the first Seleka member to be convicted.
(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by Bart Meijer and Andrew Cawthorne)
