Rights abuses flare in Côte d'Ivoire, prompting UN mission to sound alarm

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire is voicing deep concern at the upsurge of human rights violations in the West African nation, pointing in particular to an incident at the residence of an opposition leader where one of his employees was murdered and three others tortured.

The UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) appealed to the national authorities to conduct the necessary investigations in order to shed full light on Monday's incident at the home in Abidjan of Alassane Dramane Ouattara, President of the Rally for Republicans (RDR).

UNOCI recalled that Security Council members, "in their firm condemnation of human rights violations, underscored that the fight against impunity was an important element in ending the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire and demanded that perpetrators of human rights violations are held to account."

The mission said in a statement that it was ready to collaborate with the authorities to help them in their investigations, reiterating that its mandate calls for it to "contribute to the promotion and the defence of human rights in Côte d'Ivoire, paying particular attention to acts of violence committed against women and girls and assist in inquiries on the violations of human rights to bring to an end to impunity."