United Nations, Feb 24 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the arrest of four members of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and called for their immediate release.
The UN peacekeepers were arrested by the Central African Republic (CAR) gendarmerie in Bangui on Monday, while escorting a senior military officer of the mission.
The Secretary-General on Wednesday emphasised that, pursuant to the 2014 status-of-forces agreement between the UN and the government of the CAR relating to MINUSCA, these MINUSCA members enjoy privileges and immunities which are held in the interest of the UN, Xinhua news agency reported.
The top UN official recalled that the 2014 status-of-forces agreement establishes a specific procedure in cases where members of MINUSCA are suspected, by the authorities of the CAR, of having committed an offence. Guterres noted that this procedure has not been followed in the present case.
The UN Chief called upon the government of the CAR to abide by all its obligations under international law, including the status-of-forces agreement, and release these MINUSCA personnel "unconditionally and without delay".
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