Habre's ruling deferred
2010-03-17 21:18
Abudja - A west African court on Wednesday deferred by a month a ruling on whether it can hear a suit against Senegal's efforts to try former Chadian president Hissene Habre for alleged rights abuses, officials said.
The president of the Ecowas (Economic Community of West African States) court, Awa Daboya Nana, "decided to postpone the ruling until April 16", court spokesperson Felicien Hounkanrin told AFP.
The court, at its last session on January 14, had fixed March 17 as the date for the ruling.
Habre's lawyer, Francois Serres, also confirmed the postponement.
Senegal has challenged the competence of west Africa's regional court to hear Habre's suit against Dakar's efforts to try him for alleged rights violations.
At the last court session in Abuja, lawyers representing Senegal filed an objection against Habre's suit, arguing that their country could amend laws to try offenders, Hounkanrin had told AFP.
Habre, accused of "crimes against humanity" has been living in exile in Senegal since 1990. He has alleged that his rights are being violated by Dakar, which is looking into rights abuse allegations against him.
Habre has been blamed for killing and torturing thousands during his 1982-90 rule. He was toppled and fled the country.
An official truth commission report in 1992 accused Habre's regime of committing some 40 000 political murders.
- SAPA