Cote d'Ivoire's Gbagbo Under House Arrest

Former President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire has been put under house arrest, the government of President Alassane Ouattara announced Tuesday.

Gbagbo, who claimed victory in the November presidential run-off and refused to relinquish power to Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner, was detained Monday at his residence in the economic capital of Abidjan after a months-long political deadlock and armed conflict between the two presidency claimants.

The legitimacy of Ouattara received a big boost on Tuesday, as Gbagbo's army chiefs pledged allegiance to him and U.S. President Barack Obama conveyed his support for him in a telephone call.

The new president pledged Monday night 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 (OHCHR) 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.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2011)