French President Francois Hollande is promising tough punishment for any soldier found guilty of sexually assaulting children in Central African Republic. Hollande, speaking to reporters yesterday in western France, said any sanctions should correspond to the gravity of the crime and “set an example.” French prosecutors and military authorities are investigating accusations of sexual abuse of children in 2013-14 by French soldiers sent to protect civilians amid sectarian violence in Central African Republic. The investigation has been underway since last year but was only made public Wednesday. French military officials distanced themselves from the accusations yesterday, saying they had no knowledge of any sexual abuse. France sent troops to the former colony in December 2013 and the U.N. set up a 12,000-strong peacekeeping force in September last year.
Death penalty – EU promises ‘fight’ if Hungary brings executions back
European Union leaders are warning Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban that he is in for “a fight” if he considers restoring the death penalty, which is now banned throughout the 28-nation bloc. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Orban “should immediately make clear that this is not his intention. Would it be his intention, it would be a fight.” The head of the EU parliament echoed those comments, saying the legislature’s civil liberties committee would be convened urgently and noting that the EU’s charter of fundamental rights prohibits the death penalty. The issue was raised by Orban after last week’s murder of a 22-year-old tobacco shop attendant in a southern Hungarian city.
No Comments