Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo has been arrested and transferred to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity. Gbagbo arrived in the Netherlands overnight after being taken from house arrest in the Ivory Coast. An International Criminal Court spokesperson announced the charges.

Fadi El Abdallah: “Mr. Laurent Gbagbo has been arrested and transferred to the ICC detention center in the night. That’s in accordance with a warrant of arrest issued by Pre-Trial Chamber III. And that’s for four crimes, four charges of crimes against humanity: murder, persecution, rape and other sexual violences, and also other inhuman acts that allegedly has been perpetrated in Côte d’Ivoire in the post-electoral area, a period when there was violence committed in this country.”

Gbagbo is accused of responsibility for the violence that killed more than 3,000 people after he refused to step down, despite losing presidential elections a year ago. His attorneys say he has been wrongfully seized and plan to challenge his detention in court.