One Year into Detention, Researcher Still Hasn't Had Trial

Last week marked one year since Joseph Figueira Martin was arrested in the Central African Republic. The former analyst for the International Crisis Group was arrested by Russian forces in Zemio, in the southeast, where he was conducting research for FHI 360, an American organization aimed at reducing poverty, expanding economic opportunities, and preventing gender-based violence.

As his family and friends mark this somber anniversary, there is no date yet fixed for his trial.

I worked with Joe, a Portuguese-Belgian citizen, at Crisis Group for several years. He was highly respected by his colleagues as smart, conscientious, and caring. He became an expert on Central Africa and has since worked for several international organizations looking at the drivers of conflict across the region.

But for the past year, he has been held in Camp de Roux in Bangui, the capital, a military prison for the most high-profile prisoners. The authorities accused him of financing and coordinating activities for armed groups, including the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic, which is considered a terrorist organization by the government, along a raft of other accusations including undermining the security of the state.

Since his arrest, the Central African government has repeatedly stated it has substantial evidence against him. If that's the case, the government should respect his right to trial without undue delay, a key element of the right to a fair and public trial before an independent and impartial court. As the United Nations Human Rights Committee has underscored, the right to a speedy trial serves to avoid uncharged people being held for prolonged periods in detention, and if bail is not provided then the trial must be as expeditious as possible.

One year on his family is desperately seeking to move his case forward, convinced he can explain the evidence against him and resolute that he was in the country to help the Central African Republic, not destabilize it. Only in court will the truth be established. It is time for the authorities to end his prolonged detention without trial and ensure due process takes its course.

If the authorities don't have enough evidence to bring this case to trial--and they've had more than a year to gather it--they should let Joe go.

Andrew Stroehlein, European Media and Editorial Director