Belgium seeks arrest of Chad's ex-leader
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-29 21:18

Belgium has issued an international arrest warrant for Chad's former leader Hissene Habre, charging him with atrocities during his 1982-90 rule, lawyers said Thursday.

Habre, who lives in exile in Senegal, is being pursued under Belgium's "universal jurisdiction" laws, which allow for prosecutions for crimes against humanity wherever they were committed.

"This is a great day for Habre's thousands of victims and a milestone in the fight to hold the perpetrators of atrocities accountable for their crimes," said Reed Brody of Human Rights Watch.

Brody said Habre could become the first ex-president to be extradited to face human rights charges in another country's national courts.

Habre, 63, is accused of torture, murder and other crimes during his eight-year reign.

Belgium watered down its universal jurisdiction laws in 2003 under pressure from the United States after individuals brought complaints against President Bush and other senior officials.

However, the laws allowed the already ongoing case against Habre to move forward. Three of the 21 plaintiffs in the Belgian case against Habre are Belgian citizens.

"The indictment of Habre shows how the Belgian law was supposed to work," said Georges-Henri Beauthier, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "Habre's crimes are serious and are well-documented."

The arrest warrant was issued on Sept. 19 by Brussels investigating judge Daniel Fransen, and made public Thursday. Fransen traveled to Chad to interview witnesses, gather evidence and visit sites of alleged atrocities.

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