A/HRC/17/48 international organizations, in particular UNOCI, and civil society organizations. Assisted by a team of investigators and a forensic pathologist, the Commission met with hundreds of victims and direct witnesses of human rights violations. It also took testimony from relatives of victims or persons with indirect knowledge of certain violations. The Commission also gathered collective testimony from human rights organizations and other associations, all of which helped to shed light on the sequence of events. The Commission went to various sites considered to have been particularly affected by violations, notably hospitals, clinics, places of summary execution and morgues, but also mass graves and cemeteries. Lastly, it visited places where persons were being held under house arrest, in particular Hotel Pergola in Abidjan and presidential villas in Korgoho and Odienné. 8. The Commission collected written documents, photos and video recordings from a variety of sources. C. Legal framework 9. The Constitution of Côte d'Ivoire gives considerable importance to the protection of human rights and public freedoms. It recognizes the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of the country and enshrines the principle of human equality. It stipulates that human rights are inviolable and that the public authorities have the obligation to ensure that those rights are respected, protected and promoted. In accordance with the provisions of article 87, international treaties or agreements prevail over laws. 10. Côte d'Ivoire is a party to most international and regional instruments relating to human rights and international humanitarian law; those instruments are applicable to the events that occurred during the period under consideration. It has signed but not yet ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. By declarations made successively by President Gbagbo in 2003 and President Ouattara in 2010, Côte d'Ivoire has accepted the Court's jurisdiction. II. The forces on the ground A. Forces de défense et de sécurité 11. The Forces de défense et de sécurité (FDS) were placed under the command of President Gbagbo who, as provided for in the Constitution, is the Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, until 17 March, when the Forces Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) were created. However, Mr. Gbagbo continued to rely on the loyalty of the elite units of the FDS, which were the best equipped and whose members were handpicked to ensure the protection of his regime. The FDS had a total strength of 55,000 members led by the head of the armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire (CEMA), General Philippe Mangou. In late March, after General Mangou had deserted his post to take refuge in the embassy of South Africa, General Dogbo Blé was appointed acting head of the armed forces. 12. Those components of the FDS1 that were most involved in the events after 28 November are the Forces Armées Nationales de Côte d'Ivoire (FANCI), the national gendarmerie, the national police and the special/joint units. 1 The other components of the FDS are the military fire brigade, customs and immigration and the water and forestry services whose roles in the events since 28 November still need to be clarified. GE.11-14375 (EXT) 7