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Senegal police arrest Chad former leader Hissene Habre | Senegal police arrest Chad former leader Hissene Habre |
(1 day later) | |
Police in Senegal have arrested Chad's former leader Hissene Habre, who is wanted for alleged atrocities during his eight-year rule. | Police in Senegal have arrested Chad's former leader Hissene Habre, who is wanted for alleged atrocities during his eight-year rule. |
Mr Habre's lawyer El Hadji Diouf said he was taken from his home in Dakar by paramilitary police to an unknown location on Sunday. | Mr Habre's lawyer El Hadji Diouf said he was taken from his home in Dakar by paramilitary police to an unknown location on Sunday. |
The 70 year old has been under house arrest since 2005 in Senegal, where he fled after being deposed in 1990. | |
He denies killing and torturing tens of thousands of his opponents. | He denies killing and torturing tens of thousands of his opponents. |
Last year the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Senegal to put him on trial or extradite him to face justice overseas. | Last year the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Senegal to put him on trial or extradite him to face justice overseas. |
His arrest comes days after US President Barack Obama praised the efforts of Senegal's current President Macky Sall to bring him to trial at the start of his Africa tour. | His arrest comes days after US President Barack Obama praised the efforts of Senegal's current President Macky Sall to bring him to trial at the start of his Africa tour. |
Historic precedent | Historic precedent |
Human rights group have been pushing Senegal to put Mr Habre on trial for decades. | Human rights group have been pushing Senegal to put Mr Habre on trial for decades. |
Senegalese MPs passed a law in December allowing a special African Union tribunal to be created in the country to try the former leader, who has been dubbed "Africa's Pinochet". | Senegalese MPs passed a law in December allowing a special African Union tribunal to be created in the country to try the former leader, who has been dubbed "Africa's Pinochet". |
The charges against him date from 1982, when Mr Habre came to power in a coup, until 1990, the year he was ousted. | The charges against him date from 1982, when Mr Habre came to power in a coup, until 1990, the year he was ousted. |
Mr Habre was first indicted in Senegal in 2000 - but the country's courts ruled at the time that he could not be tried there. | Mr Habre was first indicted in Senegal in 2000 - but the country's courts ruled at the time that he could not be tried there. |
His alleged victims then filed complaints under Belgium's universal jurisdiction law, which allows the country's judges to prosecute human rights offences committed anywhere in the world. | His alleged victims then filed complaints under Belgium's universal jurisdiction law, which allows the country's judges to prosecute human rights offences committed anywhere in the world. |
He was charged by Belgium with crimes against humanity and torture in 2005, but Senegal has refused four extradition requests. | He was charged by Belgium with crimes against humanity and torture in 2005, but Senegal has refused four extradition requests. |
Plans in 2011 to repatriate Mr Habre to Chad, where a court in 2008 sentenced him to death in absentia for planning to overthrow the government, were stopped following a plea from the UN. | Plans in 2011 to repatriate Mr Habre to Chad, where a court in 2008 sentenced him to death in absentia for planning to overthrow the government, were stopped following a plea from the UN. |
A trial in Senegal would set a historic precedent as until now African leaders accused of atrocities have only been tried in international courts. | A trial in Senegal would set a historic precedent as until now African leaders accused of atrocities have only been tried in international courts. |
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