Justice + the Ivory Coast

Skewed Justice in Côte d’Ivoire

The President Should Help Move Country Past Political, Ethnic Divides

The government of President Alassane Ouattara has taken noteworthy steps to ensure investigation and prosecution of leaders of the former regime implicated in grave crimes, including former President Laurent Gbagbo. But Ouattara has not taken action against his own troops accused of killing and raping during the fighting.

This glaring imbalance in justice threatens to rip apart Côte d’Ivoire at a time when Ouattara’s government should help move the country past the political and ethnic divisions Gbagbo exploited, a new report says. At least 3,000 were killed in the violence after Gbagbo lost last November’s presidential election but refused to step down. Many appear to have been targeted on political, ethnic, and religious grounds.

The report, based on more than 500 interviews, names military and political leaders implicated in serious crimes – eight were Gbagbo supporters while four backed Ouattara.

To help ensure justice, the International Criminal Court authorized an investigation. Its decision referred to Human Rights Watch’s documentation of war crimes and likely crimes against humanity.