Trial begins for former Central African Republic leader Bozizé over war crimes
Key takeaways
- The UN-backed Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic will on Tuesday, with foreign judges, begin the trial in absentia of former president François Bozizé over crimes against humanity.
- Issued on: 16/06/2026 - 08:03Modified: 16/06/2026 - 08:15
- By: FRANCE 24 President of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize speaks to the media at the presidential palace in Bangui, Central African Republic, January 8, 2013.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The UN-backed Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic will on Tuesday, with foreign judges, begin the trial in absentia of former president François Bozizé over crimes against humanity. Bozizé, 79, who seized power in a 2003 coup before being overthrown 10 years later by rebels, has been living in exile in Guinea-Bissau since March 2023.
Issued on: 16/06/2026 - 08:03Modified: 16/06/2026 - 08:15
By: FRANCE 24 President of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize speaks to the media at the presidential palace in Bangui, Central African Republic, January 8, 2013. © Ben Curtis, AP A UN-backed court in the Central African Republic will on Tuesday begin the trial in absentia of former president François Bozizé, over crimes against humanity committed between 2009 and 2013.