BANGUI, Central African Republic
Bea Bertin, a former secretary-general of ousted President Francois Bozizé’s Kwa Na Kwa (KNK) party, was arrested on Saturday at Bangui airport, according to a party source.
The source, who requested anonymity, told Anadolu Agency that Bertin had been arrested while preparing to board a flight bound for Paris.
“We don’t yet have any information regarding the charges [brought against Bertin],” the source said.
Security sources at the airport, for their part, declined to answer Anadolu Agency’s questions regarding the reasons for Bertin’s arrest.
The Central African Republic (CAR) descended into anarchy in 2013 when Seleka rebels ousted Bozizé, a Christian who had come to power in a 2003 coup. The rebels then installed Michel Djotodia, a Muslim, as interim president.
In early 2014, Djotodia stepped down to be replaced as president by Catherine Samba-Panza – a Christian and the first woman to hold the post – amid a wave of violence between Christian anti-Balaka militiamen and Muslim Seleka fighters.
In May of this year, Seleka fighters and the anti-Balaka both agreed to lay down their arms. The following month, Samba-Panza approved legislation establishing a special court to look into alleged crimes committed during the country’s sectarian conflict.
Bozizé currently lives in exile in Uganda. Accused of crimes committed during the recent conflict, he has been banned from traveling by the UN.
Due to ongoing instability in CAR, presidential elections – originally slated for 2014 – have been postponed three times. They are currently scheduled to be held this October.
