I am honored to take the floor. My name is Madame Khady Ndiaye Bèye, representative of Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (RADDHO).

Africa has been at the forefront of the adoption of the Declaration and Program of Action of Durban (DDPA) against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
RADDHO works for the effective implementation of the DDPA, thus « reaffirming the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Universal Declaration of human rights and encouraging the respect of fundamental freedoms of every individual without any distinction based on race, color, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, of social or national origin, wealth, birth or any other situation».

What have the victims just done?
What does the complaint allege?
What is the evidence against Habré?
Are there other charges against Habré?

Rights groups Monday urged Senegal to try former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre for war crimes after its justice minister said a conviction in Chad on similar charges could derail a planned trial here.
Justice Minister Madicke Niang said on Sunday that if Habre had already been convicted for the same crimes in his native Chad, then "he can no longer be judged in any jurisdiction in the world."
The comments raised questions about the political will of the Senegalese government to try Habre.

Rights groups raised the alarm regarding the long-awaited trial of former Chadian President Hissene Habré after Senegal's Justice Minister Madicke Niang raised doubts Habré could not be tried twice for the same alleged offences. Habre was sentenced to death in absentia in Ndjamena last week for "attacking the security of the state", even though he is currently facing charges in Senegal, where he has lived in exile since 1991.

A Chadian criminal court on Friday condemned exiled former president Hissene Habre to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, judicial officials said.
The court also sentenced 11 Chadian rebel leaders to death in absentia.
All 12 defendants were convicted for having attacked the "constitutional order and the integrity and security of the territory."
Among the 11 rebel leaders convicted and sentenced was their overall leader Mahamat Nouri.

APA-Dakar (Sénégal) The coup that occurred in Nouakchott on Wednesday is "a huge mess of the electoral process," Secretary General of the African Defence for Human Rights (RADDHO) Alioune Tine told APA in Dakar.

"This coup is a huge mess of the democratic process in Mauritania," Tine, who expects "a very firm reaction from the international community to force the army to leave power, for a return to constitutional legality, said.

Senegalese lawmakers have cleared hurdles to the trial of the former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré.
Senegal's Justice Minister Madické Niang said the appointment of judges and passing of bills by the parliament are all indications of the West African country's preparedness to speed up the trial of Mr. Habré who had been living in exile in Senegal since he was ousted from power 18 years back.

Read our press release on July 24, 2008