Senegal moved closer to bringing a former Chadian dictator accused of war crimes to justice after the government announced Thursday that local laws would be revised and a special commission formed to organize and oversee his trial.

Hissene Habre, whose former regime is accused of killing and torturing thousands of people, was indicted by a Belgian court last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity under a law that allows the European country to prosecute such crimes wherever they're committed.

Senegalese courts have ruled they have no jurisdiction to try Habre, who lives in exile in a villa in Senegal's seaside capital. But Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade agreed during an African Union summit in Gambia in July that his government would try the ex-dictator under an African Union mandate.

Habre ruled Chad for eight years until he was ousted by rebels in 1990 led by his former ally Idriss Deby, Chad's current president.

A commission set up in Chad in 1992 accused Habre's regime of carrying out thousands of political killings and torturing its opponents.

Reed Brody, counsel for the New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch, welcomed Senegal's announcement, calling it "an important step toward justice."

"Senegal now needs to move forward quickly to organize the investigation and the trial," Brody said. "Hissene Habre's victims have been seeking justice for 16 years."

Brody also called on the international community to help.

"The challenges and the cost of investigating and trying of massive crimes committed in another country over 15 years ago are considerable," Brody said. "If Senegal shows that it has the political will to deliver justice, the international community must come forward to help."

  Add comment

Name:
E-Mail:
Comment:
Enter code: