Holding to Account the Commission of International Crimes in the Central African Republic: The Establishment of the Special Criminal Court

Abstract

The Special Criminal Court for the Central African Republic (scc) is a national court that has been established with the assistance of the Un Multidimensional Integrated Mission of Stabilization in the Central African Republic (minusca) to bring to justice perpetrators of international crimes committed in car from 2003. The establishment of the scc is a response to the legal obligation to fight impunity for the most serious crimes in a country severely affected by decades of internal armed conflicts, social and political crises: car has been depleted of the resources required to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the commission of international crimes. Taking to justice the perpetrators will help consolidate peace, security and justice and break the cycle of violence. The scc is hence expected to serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the rule of law in car more broadly and to advance national reconciliation and peacebuilding processes. Notwithstanding the challenges that it will face, it is submitted that the scc could be a valid model to be replicated in other post-conflict contexts where impunity for either international crimes or serious organized crime is a fundamental impediment to social peace and progress.