In Central African Republic, reporting torture means signing your own death warrant

On the International Day for Victims of Torture, the silence in Bangui and beyond speaks volumes. In the Central African Republic (CAR), where state forces, Wagner mercenaries, and allied militias operate with near-total impunity, those who dare to expose abuses face immediate retribution: disappearance, torture, or extrajudicial killing. The government dismisses credible evidence as fabrications and brands complainants as ‘enemies of the Republic.’

Among the most notorious perpetrators is Commander Môn Gervais Simplice Yarkokpa, a presidential guard officer whose criminal empire spans drug trafficking, extortion, and torture. His victims—police officers, civilians, and even fellow soldiers—are targeted without warning. In early 2025, he brutally assaulted Officer Ouadole Freddy, a policeman who had exposed his drug trade, leaving him beaten with machetes at Bangui-Mpoko Airport. Yarkokpa’s reach extends deep into state institutions; in August 2023, he orchestrated the false arrest and dismissal of soldiers Dongomalé Dieubeni (alias Fort Papy) and Selekoy Tanguy, leveraging ties to Defense Minister Claude Rameau Bireau to bury their case.

Zémio: A town under siege by state-backed violence

In Zémio, in the Haut-Mbomou region, the crackdown is just as brutal. On May 15, 2025, Tisso René, a respected municipal councilor and history teacher, was abducted by gendarmes and FACA troops before being handed over to Wagner operatives. He has not been seen since. When his son, Narcisse (Nara), spoke out on local radio, security forces pursued Nara into hiding. Days later, Tisso Grâce, another son, was captured upon returning from the DRC and tortured nearly to death for allegedly speaking to the media. The message is clear: no one is safe from Yarkokpa’s network or Wagner’s enforcers.

An absent judiciary: where complaints go to die

Victims have no recourse. In Bangui’s courts, thousands of torture complaints against Wagner and FACA gather dust. A court clerk admitted as much: ‘We can’t process these. They’re classified as confidential.’ Authorities dismiss damning videos—such as Wagner’s February 2025 footage of a civilian being beaten in Ippy—as ‘staged.’ Even after Wagner decapitated two Central Africans in 2024, publishing the footage of their mutilated bodies, the government remained silent.

Yarkokpa’s reign: a blend of old militias and new impunity

Yarkokpa’s influence stems from his dual role as a former anti-balaka militia leader and a high-ranking state security official. Despite his illiteracy, he was commissioned into the gendarmerie officer corps. His criminal portfolio includes trafficking tramadol from Zongo, counterfeit alcohol, and counterfeit currency. In June 2024, he looted 800 million Central African francs in gold and diamonds from Franco-Algerian traders Samir Antonio Osmani and Haçade Bensalem under the guise of a fraudulent raid. Those who resist—like Adjudant Kparambéti (Ozaguin), imprisoned for exposing his crimes—are crushed without consequence.

A nation gagged by fear

In CAR, silence is the only survival strategy. Wagner, FACA, and Yarkokpa’s allies operate with impunity, protected by a government that denies their crimes and punishes truth-tellers. Victims like Jefté Ngaïndiro—a young man robbed of his motorcycle and 150,000 CFA francs after a false theft accusation—are abandoned by a justice system that exists in name only. The question lingers: who will speak for the silenced? For now, the answer remains unspoken.