A/HRC/17/48 I. Introduction A. Establishment and legal basis of the Commission 1. The refusal of former President Gbagbo to give up power after being defeated in the presidential elections of 28 November 2010 plunged Côte d'Ivoire into an unprecedented political crisis marked by grave and massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. There were many reports of extrajudicial and summary executions, rape, acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, attacks against religious buildings, and act of intimidation, harassment and extortion. 2. In view of the deteriorating human rights situation in Côte d'Ivoire, a special session of the Human Rights Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council) was held on 23 December 2010. On that occasion, the Council adopted resolution S-14/1, in which it strongly condemns the human rights violations committed and calls on all the relevant parties to immediately put an end to them. It also urges all actors, in particular defence and security forces, to refrain from all acts of violence, to respect all human rights and all fundamental freedoms and to assume their responsibilities for the protection of the civilian population. Mandate 3. At its sixteenth ordinary session, the Council adopted resolution 16/25 whereby it decided to establish an international commission of inquiry to “investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegations of serious abuses and violations of human rights committed in Côte d'Ivoire following the presidential election of 28 November 2010, in order to identify those responsible for such acts and to bring them to justice, and present its findings to the Council at its seventeenth session”. The High Commissioner for Human Rights was requested to provide the Commission with the support needed for it to carry out its mandate. Composition of the Commission 4. On 11 April 2011, the President of the Council appointed the three members of the Commission: Vitit Muntarbhorn of Thailand (Chair), Reine Alapini Gansou of Benin (member) and Suliman Baldo of Sudan (member). B. Methodology 5. The members of the Commission held consultations in Geneva from 2 to 4 May and had meetings with representatives of the Permanent Mission of Côte d'Ivoire in Geneva, the President of the Council, the High Commissioner, various diplomatic representatives, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations, as well as civil society organizations. The members of the Commission then went to Côte d'Ivoire, where they stayed from 4 to 28 May 2011. 6. Besides Abidjan, they travelled to the northern, western and southern parts of the country. They also went to Liberia in order to understand better the cross-border aspects of the conflict. 7. On the ground, the Commission had meetings with the Ivorian authorities, including President Ouattara and Prime Minister Soro, political figures, national institutions, 6 GE.11-14375 (EXT)