International Criminal Court convicts Central African militia leader

Key Points:

• The International Criminal Court convicted Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, a former Seleka militia leader from the Central African Republic, of crimes against humanity including torture and persecution.
• Said was found guilty of overseeing beatings and torture of prisoners suspected of supporting former President Francois Bozize in the capital Bangui.
• Several war crimes charges were dismissed, as judges ruled the armed conflict had ended when the alleged crimes occurred.
• Said is the first Seleka member convicted by the ICC, which has been investigating violence in the Central African Republic since 2014 and previously convicted two anti-Balaka militia leaders.
• A separate hearing will determine Said’s sentence, while some victims see the verdict as a small victory despite concerns over the dismissal of several charges.