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UN mission in Cote d'Ivoire "takes note" of Gbagbo confidants' sentences

Xinhua, March 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The head of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI) Aichatou Mindaoudou "has taken note" of the sentencing of the country's ex-First Lady Simone Gbagbo and other officials of the former regime for their role in the 2010-2011 post-election violence.

In a statement sent to Xinhua, the special representative of the UN secretary general in Cote d'Ivoire said "she had taken note of the sentences rendered by the court against individuals charged for involvement in the post-election crisis."

"I encourage Cote d'Ivoire's judicial authorities to pursue all the people who committed crimes during the post-election crisis without considering their political affiliation."

Numerous international human rights organizations have condemned what they have termed as "victor's justice and selective justice" that has only seen Laurent Gbagbo's supporters targeted yet investigations into the post-election violence had shown that supporters of both Gbagbo and his rival Alassane Ouattara committed crimes.

ONUCI boss equally urged Cote d'Ivoire authorities to carry on with the reparation process for the victims of the post-election violence.

President Alassane Ouattara has announced the setting up of a fund of 10 billion CFA Francs (about 16 million U.S. dollars) to compensate victims of the violence.

"Reconciliation can only be achieved through truth and justice, " Mindaoudou's statement concluded.

On Tuesday, Simone Gbagbo, 65 years, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for "undermining state authority, participating in an insurrectional movement and disturbing public order during the post-election violence that left 3,000 people dead.

The court equally sentenced ex-commander of the Republican guard General Brunot Dogbo Ble and ex-navy commander Vagba Faussignaux to 20 years in prison over the same charges.

Michel Gbagbo, son to ex-president Gbagbo, and the vice- president of ex-ruling party Cote d'Ivoire Popular Front (FPI) Aboudrahamane Sangare were sentenced to ten years in prison.

The FPI president Pascal Affi N'guessan was sentenced to 18 months in prison, a sentence which was largely served during his remand period.

A total of 83 supporters and officials of the former regime, including the former first lady, had been charged over the violence that broke out after Gbagbo refused to recognize Ouattara as the winner of the 2010 presidential elections. Endi