A/HRC/17/49 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 14 June 2011 Original: English Human Rights Council Seventeenth session Agenda items 2 and 4 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire* Summary The present report provides an update on the human rights situation in Côte d’Ivoire since the last report presented by the High Commissioner to the sixteenth session of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/16/79) and covers events from 1 February to 30 May 2011. The report is submitted pursuant to resolution 16/25 of the Human Rights Council requesting the High Commissioner to present a report on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire at its seventeenth session. Although direct attacks against civilians by the security forces have abated somewhat since the arrest of former president Laurent Gbagbo on 11 April 2011, the human rights situation in Côte d’Ivoire remains precarious, with a pattern of human rights violations, including summary executions, excessive use of force, enforced disappearances, rape, torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and looting. In addition, the health, agriculture and education sectors and the economy as a whole were severely affected by the post-electoral crisis, leading to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation. The western part of the country, where some of the worst human rights violations and destruction took place, has been of particular concern. The political stalemate brought to the surface past grievances which contributed towards inter-community conflicts between the pro-Gbagbo ethnic groups in the region and settler communities, including Ivorians from the north and immigrants from neighbouring countries. In addition, the armed confrontations between the Forces Nouvelles and the security forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo escalated as the pro-Ouattara forces moved towards Abidjan and resulted in a major humanitarian crisis with serious human rights implications. Given the resulting * Late submission. GE.11-14129