AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PRESS RELEASE

AI Index: AFR 31/003/2002 (Public)

News Service No: 174

2 October 2002

Côte d'Ivoire: Amnesty International sends a research mission into the field

Amnesty International today sent a research mission to Côte d’Ivoire with the aim of investigating the human rights situation after the 19 September 2002 armed uprising.

The delegation is composed of Ms. Demba Ciré Bathily, a barrister in Dakar and President of the Senegalese Section of Amnesty International, and Mr. Gaëtan Mootoo, an Amnesty International researcher. The delegation has requested an audience with the Head of State, Mr. Laurent Gbagbo and also hopes to interview the Ministers of Justice and Defence, and representatives of the legal system, political parties and civil society.

Since the beginning of the crisis, Amnesty International has twice issued reminders that any settlement of this crisis must include respect for human rights by all parties to the conflict, especially a halt to the summary executions, arbitrary arrests and pillaging to which foreign nationals and Côte d’Ivoire citizens from the north of the country have particularly fallen victim, and an end to kidnappings by the rebels.

The Amnesty International delegation will investigate atrocities committed by both sides and will be in Côte d’Ivoire from 3 to 14 October 2002.

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For more information, contact the Amnesty International press office in London, the United Kingdom, on +44 20 7413 5562 Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

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