Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville Location: Geneva 6 May 2011 - Côte d’Ivoire

The International Commission of Inquiry on Côte d’Ivoire led by Vitit Muntabhorn, Suliman Baldo and Reine Alapini Gansou arrived in the country on Wednesday (4 May). An advance team had arrived in Côte d’Ivoire ten days earlier. The Commissioners are currently in Abidjan meeting various stakeholders and are due next week to travel to other parts of the country. OHCHR is supporting the mission with a secretariat of 12 staff, including a gender adviser, a specialist on children in armed conflict, a forensic pathologist, a military expert and a security officer, and UNOCI is providing logistical and administrative support.

The mandate given to the Commission of Inquiry by the Human Rights Council is to investigate the facts surrounding allegations of serious human rights abuses committed in Côte d'Ivoire following the presidential elections of 28 November 2010, to identify those responsible for such acts and bring them to justice.

Meanwhile, our staff in Côte d’Ivoire are investigating reports of human rights violations in the Yopougon district of Abidjan earlier this week (3 to 4 May), which reportedly led to at least 40 people being killed. They will also be looking into an attack against a Baptist church allegedly carried out by FRCI during the violence. The Human Rights Division of UNOCI has received allegations on the existence of a mass grave as well as the possible killing of civilians in Yopougon by both sides. The UNOCI Human Rights Special Investigation Team is due to visit the site of this alleged mass grave today..

ENDS

OHCHR Country Page – Côte d’Ivoire: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/CIIndex.aspx

For more information or interviews, please contact spokesperson Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 or rcolville@ohchr.org ) or press officers: Ravina Shamdasani (+ 41 22 917 9310 or rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Xabier Celaya (+ 41 22 917 9383 or xcelaya@ohchr.org )