A/HRC/33/63 51. Reports of rape have also been received. A member of the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic who was guarding the Bimbo women’s prison was arrested for the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in the prison in February 2016. The suspect was remanded in custody on 3 March and placed in Ngaragba prison, but, to date, he has not been brought before a judicial authority. 52. Arrests and arbitrary detention remain common owing to the absence of a functioning judiciary, the technical and logistical constraints stemming from the dearth of training for the security forces and the unavailability of the resources necessary to ensure compliance with legal procedures. 53. Several civil society organizations with which the Independent Expert met continue to request the lifting of the embargo and the restoration of the armed forces of the Central African Republic, despite their known deficiencies. These repeated requests point to the civilian population’s constant calls for protection, which they consider to be necessary on account of gaps in the protection provided by MINUSCA. The Independent Expert takes note of those requests but also highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough reform of the security sector, of introducing a vetting and validation process to ensure that those responsible for serious human rights violations are not recruited back into the security forces and of creating a responsible, republican and democratic army. C. Minority rights 54. The situation of minorities has scarcely changed during the period under review. The stigmatization of young Muslims and their lack of prospects often drive them into crime or to join armed groups or areas under the control of ex-Séléka forces in the north of the country. These young people consider themselves second-class citizens. 55. During meetings with PK-5 representatives, the Independent Expert was informed of the lack of social and medical services in an already overcrowded area that continues to receive displaced persons. During her visit in March, the people in the area were already concerned about the return of displaced persons to the PK-5 enclave without suitable provision being made for them. 56. The young people whom the Independent Expert met in the University of Bangui, in the PK-5 enclave, at Kaga-Bandoro, Bossangoa and Ndélé said that, for security reasons, it is still practically impossible for Muslim students to leave the enclaves and return to university. They said they suffered from red tape, entailing discriminatory practices such as demands for additional supporting documents for processing applications, tight registration deadlines that fail to take into account the difficulties young Muslims face in moving around, and even examinations being organized during Muslim religious holidays. 57. Students were also concerned about the long-term consequences of school absenteeism and the high illiteracy rate among young people from Muslim communities, which could lead to long-term discrimination in access to employment. 58. Given the lack of State services in the PK-5 enclave, the association of Central African Muslim professionals took the initiative of setting up a school and educating children on the spot. 59. The Independent Expert urged the authorities to launch awareness-raising campaigns on non-discrimination and living together in order to defuse tension among Central Africans and to condemn discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, which has an impact on population movements or regrouping in already vulnerable neighbourhoods. 10 GE.16-12727