The trial of Hissen Habre, a former Chadian president accused of committing crimes against humanity while in office, kicked off on Monday – under heavy security – in Senegalese capital Dakar.
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Habre shouted before the start of the proceedings, a cry taken up by his supporters in the court.
This is the first time that the courts of one country, Senegal, are going to be trying the former leader of another country, Chad, for alleged human rights crimes.
The United States supports a fair and impartial trial, and is committed to helping end impunity for the worst crimes known to humanity.
Former Chad dictator Hissene Habre on Monday denied the legitimacy of the special court set up to try him in Senegal for the deaths of thousands during his rule, but the head of the tribunal said he would be compelled to participate.
Habre’s arrest had been delayed for years by Senegal’s administration, ignoring Belgian courts’ efforts to speed up the process and try the dictator in Europe.
“We want to show the Chadian people, and why not all Africans, that no, you cannot govern in terror and criminality”, said Souleymane Guengueng, 66, a former accountant who spent more than two years in Habre’s prisons.
Dressed all in white and carrying prayer beads, the 72-year-old had to be forced to appear in the courtroom after he refused to recognize the Extraordinary African Chambers (CAE) established with the backing of the African Union.
Senegal has had to amend its laws to adopt “universal jurisdiction”, which is the foundation in worldwide law that allows one country to judge a foreigner for offenses allegedly committed in another, the AP reported.
Habre’s government was responsible for an estimated 40,000 deaths, according to report published in May 1992 by a 10-member Chadian truth commission formed by Chad’s current president, Idriss Deby. Hissene Habre appears on charges of crimes against humanity after being brought to the court by force.
A Belgian investigating team that travelled to Chad in 2002 visited detention centres and mass graves and found thousands of documents from Habre’s political police; providing strong evidence of torture and rights violations. About 100 are expected to testify during hearings that are likely to last three months.
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Chief prosecutor Mbacke Fall says his team have heard from nearly 2,500 victims and 60 witnesses since the opening of the investigation against Habre in July 2013.
