Judicial proceedings targeting PDCI and PPA-CI officials: Ahouman Gaël Lapkpa welcomes the CNDH statement

Ahouman Gaël Lakpa, a writer and political analyst, welcomes the National Human Rights Council’s (CNDH) statement on proceedings targeting officials from the PDCI-RDA and PPA-CI. He says the Council is right to recall the applicable legal principles and call for dialogue, while neither replacing the courts nor dictating the outcome of the cases. He stresses that the presumption of innocence, the rights of the defence, a fair trial and equality before the law must be guaranteed to everyone regardless of political affiliation. He adds that the mere existence of judicial proceedings does not, by itself, prove that rights have been violated.