Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has been placed under house arrest, said President Alassane Ouattara’s Government.
Gbagbo, who claimed victory in the November presidential run-off and refused to relinquish power to his rival Ouattara, was detained at his residence in capital city Abidjan, after a months long political deadlock and armed conflict between the two presidency claimants.
The legitimacy of Ouattara received a big boost, as Gbagbo's army chiefs pledged allegiance to him and U.S. President Barack Obama conveyed his support for his action, the Xinhua reports.
The new president pledged that the former president would be treated fairly and in accordance with the law.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has stressed that all perpetrators of violence on both sides of the Ivorian conflict should undergo open and transparent investigations that lead to a fair trial and accountability.