UN Human Rights Chief to visit CAR, 1-4 September 2015

GENEVA/BANGUI (28 August 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday begins a four-day visit to the Central African Republic.

During his visit, High Commissioner Zeid will meet the Head of State of the transition, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Justice Minister and the President of the National Transitional Council. He will also meet the Special Representative of the Secretary General, the MINUSCA* Force Commander, contingent commanders as well as civil society representatives, religious leaders, members of political parties and members of the international and diplomatic community.

High Commissioner Zeid will also hold discussions with local and religious leaders, youth and women groups and representatives of the country’s 368,000 internally displaced people.

The High Commissioner will deliver an opening statement at the International Seminar on Combatting Impunity organized jointly by MINUSCA and the UN Human Rights Office and call for accountability for all human rights violations and for ensuring justice for the victims of crimes committed in CAR, in particular though the prompt establishment of the Special Criminal Court.

He will also review efforts to prevent human rights abuses and to ensure immediate and effective action whenever such abuses are committed by international forces.

At the end of his visit, on Friday 4 September at 11.00 am local time, the High Commissioner will hold a press conference at MINUSCA in Bangui.

ENDS

* UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Bangui: Rupert Colville (+41 79 506 10 88 / rcolville@ohchr.org ) or Myriam Dessables (+236 754 36746 / dessables@un.org)

In Geneva: Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)