Ivory Coast grants amnesty to former first lady

By Fulbert Yao, Felix Nkambeh Tih

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has pardoned 800 prisoners, including former first lady Simone Gbagbo who was serving a 20-year prison sentence for undermining national security, local media reported on Tuesday.

Ouattara made the announcement late Monday on the state television on the eve of Ivory Coast's 58th Independence Day.

In 2015, the former first lady, also known as the Ivory Coast's Iron Lady, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a local court found her guilty of endangering national security.

In 2017, the Abidjan Court of Assizes cleared her of the charges, but later Supreme Court reinstated her sentence.

Ouattara said that those pardoned were prosecuted or sentenced for offenses related to the 2010-2011 post-election crisis or crimes against state security.

"This is a measure of clemency from the entire nation towards its daughters and sons," said the head of state.

He called on the beneficiaries of the amnesty to ensure that the country would never experience such events in the future.

Post-electoral violence in 2010-2011 had resulted in the death of some 3,000 people, according to UN figures.

Gbagbo had refused to recognize his rival Alassane Ouattara's victory in the November 2010 presidential election.

Since late 2011, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been trying former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo due to his alleged role in the violence.

The ICC has also requested that the Ivorian authorities surrender Simone Gbagbo to the ICC for a trial.