Highlights

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  UNOCI Welcomes Official Signing of
  Ouagadougou IV;

UNOCI Welcomes Official Signing of Ouagadougou
IV

UNOCI today welcomed the
signing of the Fourth supplementary accord to the Ouagadougou Political
Agreement, a major instrument in the efforts to end the crisis. UNOCI urged all
parties concerned to contribute unreservedly to the implementation of the
relevant provisions of Ouagadougou IV and reaffirmed its readiness to continue
providing its support in this regard, with a view to paving the way for open,
fair, free and transparent
elections.

Administration of Bouaké Prison in Transition

Following the escape, on Christmas Eve, of a
prisoner from the Central Prison of Bouaké, the Head of the Bouaké Gendarmerie
and Police services, the interim supervising body for the administration of the
prison system in that town, has announced the dismissal of officers of the
penitentiary, including its director. The sanction came as a result of series of
prison escapes in recent weeks, the most recent of which was that of the only
female detainee at the penitentiary.  

Human Rights

On 24 December, the Human Rights Regional Office
in Odienné reported that a man aged 27 was arrested on 19 December for no
apparent reason and ill-treated by three FN elements, who ordered him to undress
and robbed him of cash amounting to 42.500 FCFA (85 USD) along with two mobile
phones. One of the assailants also threatened him with death if he lodged a
complaint with the local authorities. UNOCI human rights officers in Odienné
followed up on the case on 24 December with Odienné Zone Commander Coulibaly
Ousmane, alias Ben Laden, who said he was waiting for the findings of
investigations by the gendarmerie before taking any disciplinary action.

Ends