Amnesty International Reveals Details of Deadly Raid on Political Party Headquarters in Ivory Coast, Leaving One Dead and 16 Wounded
Political Allies of Alassane Ouattara Say Security Forces Fired Live Bullets Inside Headquarters in Abidjan
LONDON
Amnesty International today called on Cote d'Ivoire security forces to stop attacks on political opponents as new information was revealed about a deadly raid on political allies of Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner of the presidential election.
Amnesty International was told that one person was killed, 16 wounded and 63 arrested by several dozen security forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, in a 5:00 am raid Tuesday of the Abidjan headquarters of the Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI), the country's former ruling party.
Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that security forces fired live bullets at those inside the building and several people were beaten. Amnesty International received a credible report today that none of the wounded people detained during the raid had yet received medical treatment.
Outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo has agreed on unconditional negotiations to resolve the political stalemate following December's election.
"No political solution to the current crisis in Cote d'Ivoire can be lasting unless it ensures full respect for human rights and the restoration of the rule of law" said Salvatore Sagues, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher. "Security forces should be called to account for carrying out enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial executions of their political opponents,"
A female eyewitness to the raid told Amnesty International: "Some of us were praying when we heard security forces enter the room. They looked everywhere and found nothing. Then they asked some of our young leaders to leave the room and accompany them outside where they were beaten with clubs. Some people protested, and security forces entered. I went to hide myself in a corner and saw security forces throwing tear grenades in the room and firing at us."
One party member, Karim Sidibe, was killed as a result of the gunfire. A person who was beside him, who cannot be identified for security reasons, said: "They fired point blank at us, they hit me on the foot and hit Karim on the stomach. The bullet went through him. I went to see him but he was already dead."
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior loyal to Laurent Gbagbo said on Ivorian TV yesterday that the raid followed reports of complaints from neighboring residents of "acts of vandalism and theft" by activists close to Alassane Ouatarra. They also said that one person had been killed but "was dressed in a traditional hunter outfit and carried a knife," and that he had threatened police officers before being killed.
Those arrested are set to be presented today to a investigating judge to face five different charges including robbery, assault and destruction of private property.
Amnesty International is calling for the unconditional release of these detainees and for immediate access to medical care for those who have been ill-treated and wounded, said Sagues.
Amnesty International is a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people - no matter who they are or where they are. We are the world's largest grassroots human rights organization.
(212) 807-8400
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In a bid to "restore fairness to the tax code and level the playing field for working families," U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden on Thursday led 15 Senate colleagues in introducing the Billionaires Income Tax Act , legislation the Oregon Democrat said would "ensure billionaires start paying their fair share in taxes."
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Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), one of the bill's co-sponsors, said in a statement that "teachers and firefighters shouldn't be paying higher tax rates than the ultrawealthy. It's that simple."
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Earlier this year, U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled a plan to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations to 25%.
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said
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Wyden's bill was introduced on the same day that the advocacy group Americans for Tax Fairness—which supports the legislation— reported that "the collective fortune of America's 741 billionaires has grown to $5.2 trillion at the end of November 2023, the highest amount ever recorded."
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