Central African Republic Militia Leader Convicted by International Criminal Court

ICC convicts former Seleka commander of crimes against humanity, including torture and persecution in CAR.

September 23, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — The Hague, Netherlands — A former leader of the Seleka militia from the Central African Republic has been found guilty by the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity, including torture and persecution.

The court convicted Mahamat Said Abdel Kani on four counts of crimes against humanity, with prosecutors alleging that he oversaw a prison where suspected supporters of former President Francois Bozize were subjected to beatings and abuse. He denied all charges during the trial.

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Judges ruled that while several war crimes allegations were dismissed due to the conflict having ended at the time of the alleged acts, the evidence was sufficient to convict on the charges of persecution and torture. A separate hearing will determine his sentence. This marks the first conviction of a Seleka member by the ICC, following previous convictions of anti-Balaka leaders.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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