July 19, 2024
Article cited by the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR)
HRRC fully supports the efforts to address human rights violations in the Central African Republic and urges immediate and concrete actions to ensure the protection and respect of detainees' rights.
News Brief
A recent report by the UN has called for urgent and concrete actions to address human rights violations in detention facilities in the Central African Republic (CAR). The report, issued by the UN Human Rights Office and MINUSCA, highlights prevalent issues such as torture, ill-treatment, illegal and arbitrary arrests, and inadequate access to food, water, sanitation, and healthcare. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk emphasized the importance of ongoing reforms in the penitentiary system to address these violations. The report covers the period from January to December 2023 and details numerous shortcomings, including failure to comply with legal custody time limits and poor detention conditions. Despite these challenges, the report also acknowledges progress made by the authorities.
The report further reveals a troubling pattern of illegal and arbitrary arrests and detention by army and security forces, with over 1,500 people affected in 2023. It underscores the need for sufficient resources to meet the essential needs of detainees, as malnutrition and poor healthcare conditions have led to disease outbreaks in prisons. The report calls for adherence to legal time limits on detention and stresses that pre-trial detention should be exceptional and justified. Türk urged the authorities to conduct independent investigations into torture and ill-treatment cases and hold perpetrators accountable. He, along with MINUSCA's head Valentine Rugwabiza, recognized the government's efforts, such as increased criminal court sessions, prison renovations, and recruiting more penitentiary staff. They pledged continued UN support to improve human rights and the rule of law in CAR's detention facilities.