In Central African Republic, government removes two constitutional court judges after judgment seen as blocking president's plans to bypass term limits

The former president of Central African Republic’s top court has condemned a decree to replace her prematurely as illegitimate and said it undermined the credibility of the justice system, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Monday. Daniele Darlan has been under pressure since the Constitutional Court she led blocked proposed reforms in September that would let President Faustin-Archange Touadera stand for a third term in 2025. [...] Another judge, Trinite Bango Sangafio, was also replaced. In a letter to Touadera dated Friday, Darlan said there was nothing to justify her removal, noting that a “permanent impediment” implied a severe illness, dementia, human rights violations or other issues that would need to be proved. She said her removal amounted to a violation of the constitution that would have “incalculable consequences on the court’s legitimacy and credibility”. [...] The move is in line with a trend in some parts of Africa that critics see as creeping autocracy. Several African presidents, including in Rwanda, Congo Republic, Ivory Coast and Guinea, have pushed through reforms in recent years to allow themselves to stay in office.
Read the full article here: Reuters