West Africa arms embargo against Guinea.

Responding to what it calls "mass human rights violations" by the ruling Guinean junta, the Economic Community of West Africa announced today it was imposing an embargo under its convention on small arms and light weapons. Local human rights groups say that hundreds were killed and thousands were injured and raped during a protest in Guinea in September.

The group also threatened a similar embargo against Niger unless president Mamadou Tandja took steps to resolve a political crisis that threatens to erupt after Tandja changed the constitution in August to give himself more power and extend his term in office. Read more at NYTimes.com.

ICC Prosecutor begins investigation in Guinea

Luis Moreno-Ocampo confirmed yesterday that the Office of the Prosecutor is beginning preliminary investigations on the situation in Guinea to determine if crimes committed fall under the Courts jurisdiction.

“From the information we have received, from the pictures I have seen, women were abused or otherwise brutalized on the pitch of Conraky’s stadium, apparently by men in uniform” said Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. “This is appalling, unacceptable. It must never happen again. Those responsible must be held accountable”.

For more see ICC.int or bloomberg.com.