Prisoner Release – 2000
2000
The Pointe Noire truce of November 1999 as well as the Agreement on Ending Hostilities of December 1999 require the release of all civilians and military personnel detained because of war. The exact number of civilians and military personnel detained because of war is not available. Nevertheless, the government was released a few of those who were detained because of war. According to the U.S. State Department Human Rights Report for 1999, the government released 30 persons who had been detained in late 1998 and were unaccounted for; they were transferred late in the year to Impfondo, in the Likouala region, and were subsequently released. In February 1999, before the ceasefire agreement, Nestor Makoundzi-Wolo, who had been detained in November 1998 for his connection with his service on the Lissouba-era Constitutional Court, was released. In October 1999, another former Constitutional Court member was also released. In October, government also freed 12 Lissouba-era military officers.1 After the agreement in December 1999, the government released 17 political prisoners who had been held since Pointe Noire (1998) and then moved to Impfondo. The detainees were minor officials of the former Lissouba Government and affiliated parties. One of the detainees, Gabriel Louya, died in detention after suffering a stroke as a result of torture and prison conditions.2
Rev. Frederic Bitsangou, chief of the National resistance Council, released five prisoners and turned in seven automatic rifles on 15 February 2000 (Source: Republic of Congo rebel leader orders followers to turn in weapons, Associated Press, 16 February 2000).
- “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 1999- Republic of Congo,” U.S. State Department, 2000, accessed February 27, 2012, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/1999/237.htm.
- “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2000- Republic of Congo,” U.S. State Department, 2001, accessed February 27, 2012, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/af/763.htm.