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World

ICC convicts Central African Republic ex-militia leader of crimes against humanity

Judges in The Hague convicted former Seleka militia leader Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of crimes against humanity, including torture, over a prison in Bangui where perceived supporters of ex-president Francois Bozize were beaten.

By Sarah Whitfield · · 1 min read

The International Criminal Court’s permanent premises in The Hague, Netherlands — the white grid-facade tower complex whose judges convicted Mahamat Said Abdel Kani on 23 September 2026.
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons · source

Judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague convicted former Seleka militia leader Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of crimes against humanity, including torture, on Wednesday.

Prosecutors accused Said of running a prison in Bangui where suspected supporters of then-president Francois Bozize were beaten and tortured during the Central African Republic’s 2013 civil war. He denied all charges. Presiding judge Miatta Maria Samba said Said and others oversaw the beatings and torture as part of a plan to target perceived Bozize supporters in the capital.

Said was found guilty on four counts of crimes against humanity, including persecution and torture. The judges dismissed several war crimes charges, finding that the armed conflict had already ended at the time the alleged crimes were committed. A separate hearing will determine his sentence. Dressed in jeans and a blue sweatshirt, Said gave no reaction as the verdict was read out.

Seleka, meaning “alliance” in the Sango language, was a predominantly Muslim rebel movement that seized power in 2013, ousting Bozize and giving rise to the opposing Christian-dominated anti-Balaka militias. The ICC has investigated violence in CAR since 2014; it has convicted two anti-Balaka leaders, but Said is the first Seleka member to be convicted.

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