Central African Republic (CAR): Contracted paramilitaries accused of atrocities

On 3 May 2022, the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report about Russia-linked forces operating with impunity in Central African Republic. Abuses since 2019 include torture, summary execution, and the beating of mostly unarmed civilians. The report urges national and international courts to investigate such allegations of abuse with a view to criminal prosecution. World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: "This HRW report comes at a time when there have been several allegations of abuse by Russian paramilitaries who were officially contracted in August 2018 to train CAR"s national forces (HumAngle, 16 April 2022). Most recently on 4 May 2022, an incident was reported by HumAngle of Russian paramilitaries detaining and torturing former rebels at a gold mining site in Kpande. The failure of the CAR government to control such contracted paramilitary forces is of great concern, especially since in the past the impunity enjoyed by Seleka militias caused a brutal civil war in the country. The highhandedness of the foreign troops could cause an armed revolt by local vigilantes, which is how the Anti-Balaka movement was originally formed in reaction to the Seleka militias operating with impunity (BBC News, 14 February 2014)."