The 2023 Human Rights Report on Côte d’Ivoire notes no significant overall changes during the year, while documenting key concerns: arbitrary or unlawful killings (including extrajudicial), torture and ill-treatment, harsh, life-threatening prison conditions (severe overcrowding at MACA), arbitrary arrest and detention, serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media (suspensions, self-censorship), interference with peaceful assembly, corruption, and violence against LGBTQI+ persons. Reports describe abuse between arrest and booking, inadequate food and medical care in some facilities, and prolonged pretrial detention amid limited judicial capacity outside major cities. While the report notes incremental improvements (e.g., a new prison, more outdoor time for inmates), it concludes the government did not consistently identify and punish officials responsible for abuses.

Bribery, Governance, Justice, Human Rights, Liberté d'expression, Impunity

The 2020 Human Rights Watch report on Côte d’Ivoire highlights economic growth in 2019 but criticizes the government’s failure to address the root causes of past political violence — notably entrenched impunity, judicial politicization, and enduring ethnic tensions. The ICC’s acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé, coupled with stalled domestic prosecutions, reinforced a climate of impunity. Legal reforms—such as the criminalization of torture, reduced pretrial detention, and gender equality measures—were welcomed, yet some provisions threaten freedoms of expression and assembly. Security forces’ excessive use of force against protesters and arbitrary arrests raised further concern. The report urges impartial justice, deeper security sector reform, and greater protection of fundamental freedoms ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Governance, Justice, Liberté, Impunity, Law

This article highlights the urgent need to restore trust between communities in West Africa, in the face of growing intercommunal violence, particularly targeting the Fulani. Binta Sidibé Gascon, president of the Kisal Observatory, denounces abuses in Burkina Faso where Fulani populations are accused of collusion with armed groups and subjected to arbitrary arrests, summary executions, and massacres. She even uses the term “ethnic cleansing.” Such violence, perpetuated by impunity, fuels terrorist recruitment and undermines social cohesion. The article stresses that many Fulani are themselves victims of terrorism and that conflating an entire community with extremism deepens the cycle of violence. Two studies are recommended: one on mistrust toward Fulani communities in Côte d’Ivoire, and another on cattle rustling in the Burkina Faso–Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana border area. The author calls for moving beyond prejudice in order to preserve peaceful coexistence in West Africa.

Cultural identity, Governance, Pastoralism, Conflict, Counter terrorism, Violence, Communautarism, Insécurité, Impunity, Transhumance

In December 2023, Chad adopted an amnesty law covering all offenses committed during the events of October 20, 2022, where at least 128 people lost their lives. ACAT-France criticizes this legislation, believing that it promotes impunity and goes against the government's commitments to human rights and the rule of law. Chad's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) also expressed concerns, highlighting the lack of provisions for reparation for victims and considering this an obstruction of justice. The CNDH calls on the government to put in place reparation mechanisms and transitional justice to ease tensions. The events of October 20, 2022 were marked by violent repression by security forces against demonstrators demanding a real political change, leading to serious violations of fundamental rights.

Governance, Human Rights, Impunity

The article "Human Rights in Africa" features an interview with Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom Center, assessing the state of human rights on the continent. He highlights that the situation is particularly dire in conflict-affected countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where human rights violations are rampant and often committed with impunity, including by national and foreign military forces. Tine also criticizes the weakness of regional mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as the inefficacy of national institutions in countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, where fundamental freedoms are under threat. He calls for strengthening democratic institutions, respecting constitutions, and better involvement of civil society to promote and protect human rights in Africa.

Conflict, Human Rights, Impunity

The report by the Citizen Coalition for the Sahel, published in June 2022, assesses the evolution of the situation in the central Sahel, particularly in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. It highlights an 18% increase in civilian deaths between April 2021 and March 2022, with 2,901 recorded victims. Armed extremist groups are responsible for 58% of these deaths, while defense and security forces are implicated in 27% of the cases. The Coalition recommends placing civilian protection at the heart of strategies, ensuring adequate humanitarian funding, promoting political dialogue, and combating impunity. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach that includes peacebuilding, access to basic services, and governance reform to effectively address the Sahel crisis.

Politics, Extremism, Dialogue, Groupes armés, Impunity