Former CAR President Faces Crimes Against Humanity Trial

Former Central African Republic president François Bozizé will be tried in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity tied to abuses by his forces between 2009 and 2013. Prosecutors say he bears command responsibility, while Bozizé, currently in exile, denies the allegations. The case is a major test for the UN-backed Special Criminal Court, which handles war crimes linked to the country’s conflict.

A landmark trial is set to begin in the Central African Republic (CAR), where former president François Bozizé will face prosecution in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity linked to alleged abuses committed during his time in power.
The case is being handled by the UN-backed Special Criminal Court, a hybrid judicial body created specifically to investigate and prosecute serious crimes such as war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during years of conflict in the Central African Republic. The court has been tasked with addressing long-standing impunity in a country that has experienced repeated cycles of political violence.
Prosecutors allege that members of Bozizé’s security forces were responsible for widespread abuses between 2009 and 2013. These include murder, torture, rape, and enforced disappearances. According to the prosecution, these acts were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of violence carried out by state-linked forces during his presidency.
Bozizé, who is now 79 years old, is accused of bearing command responsibility for these actions. Prosecutors argue that as president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he either ordered, authorised, or failed to prevent the crimes allegedly committed by his security personnel. He is currently living in exile in Guinea-Bissau and will not attend the proceedings, meaning the trial will proceed in absentia.
Despite his absence, the court is also prosecuting several former senior military officers connected to the case. Three of them are already in custody and are expected to face trial alongside the proceedings against Bozizé. Their testimony and roles are expected to be central to establishing how the alleged crimes were organised and carried out.
The trial is widely seen as a major test for the Special Criminal Court itself, which was established with international support to strengthen accountability in a country where domestic justice systems have often struggled to handle politically sensitive cases. Legal observers say the outcome could influence public confidence in transitional justice efforts in the region.
Bozizé’s presidency ended in 2013 when he was overthrown by rebel forces, an event that marked the beginning of a brutal civil war in the Central African Republic. The conflict led to thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, with both rebel and militia groups accused of committing serious human rights violations across the country.
In addition to the current case, Bozizé was previously convicted in absentia in 2022 and sentenced to life at forced labour on separate charges involving conspiracy, rebellion, and murder. That earlier ruling already made him one of the most high-profile figures to be convicted in relation to the country’s long-running instability.
The new trial therefore adds another major legal challenge for the former leader and is expected to draw international attention, particularly given its implications for accountability in post-conflict justice systems in Africa.