Central African Republic

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In late October 2013, Amnesty International raised alarm bells about an impeding human rights crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The country began spiraling out of control months earlier when a coalition of armed groups known as Seleka launched an offensive against former President Francois Bozizé in December 2012, and seized power in March 2013. Seleka forces attacked, tortured and executed civilians, indiscriminately shelled communities, and forcefully recruited thousands of child soldiers.

The violence has displaced upwards of 400,000 people and taken on an inter-religious aspect in some areas. The disbanding of the Seleka coalition – ordered by the transitional authority – led to further instability. Both Christian and Muslim civilians have come under attack as rival militias engage in revenge attacks. Peacekeepers deployed at end the end of 2013 have struggled to protect civilians as the violence spreads beyond the capital Bangui.

• REPORT: Ethnic Cleansing and Sectarian Killings in the Central African Republic (11 February 2014)
• Q&A: The Central African Republic’s human rights crisis (April 11, 2014) 
• BLOG: Life in the midst of horror in the Central African Republic (Febuary 18, 2014)
• BLOG: Hunted down: Muslims forcibly displaced in the Central African Republic (January 21, 2014)
• BLOG: Dignity in the face of overwhelming horror and misery Decemeber 16, 2013)
• BLOG: Tit-for-tat atrocities in the Central African Republic (Decemeber 12, 2013)
• BLOG: Unspeakable acts of inhumanity as violence intensifies in the Central African Republic (December 11, 2013)
• BLOG: No easy answers in Central African Republic (Decemeber 9, 2013)
• BLOG: Bangui besieged by violence and fear (December 6, 2013)

LIFE IN THE MIDST OF HORROR: Take a virual map tour of the Central African Republic crisis