A charity linked to Prince Harry has admitted that its park rangers carried out multiple human rights abuses against indigenous people in the Republic of the Congo.
African Parks, where the Duke of Sussex served as president from 2017 until 2023 before becoming a board member, acknowledged that abuses took place in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
The admissions follow allegations published last year that guards working for the non-profit subjected indigenous people to abuses including rape and torture.
The review was conducted by London-based law firm Omnia Strategy LLP, headed by Cherie Blair.
In a statement, Omnia said it has been carrying out an independent investigation into the alleged abuse since December 2023.
The law firm described its investigation as "thorough and proportionate without attempting to be exhaustive".
A charity linked to Prince Harry has admitted that its park rangers carried out multiple human rights abuses against indigenous people in the Republic of the Congo.
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African Parks has now formally acknowledged that "in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred" in the park it manages.
Despite acknowledging the abuses, African Parks has not released the full findings of the review to the public.
The charity's statement expressed deep regret for the suffering caused: "African Parks acknowledges that, in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims."
The statement also admitted to systemic failures: "Omnia's process also highlighted several failures of our systems and processes that were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us, particularly in the early years."
Prince Harry has been closely involved in understanding the findings of the review and implementing necessary changes, according to sources.
Prince Harry has been closely involved in understanding the findings of the review and implementing necessary changes, according to sources.
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The Duke has maintained his connection with African Parks despite stepping down from his role as president in 2023.
Charity Survival International, which campaigns for indigenous people's rights, has repeatedly raised concerns about abuse of the Baka people native to the area.
Caroline Pearce, Survival International's director, credits her organisation with prompting the review after raising abuse allegations directly with Prince Harry.
Ms Pearce criticised African Parks' decision to keep the review's findings private: "We still don't know the details of what they found, because African Parks has refused to allow the findings to be made public."
She condemned the charity's approach to conservation as fundamentally flawed: "The root of the problem is that African Parks continues to cling to a racist and colonial model of conservation, which kicks out the indigenous people whose land it is, while outsiders take control."
"As long as this is the case, the Baka will continue to face abuses and the destruction of their livelihoods."
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The Duke has maintained his connection with African Parks despite stepping down from his role as president in 2023.
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African Parks said it had improved its safeguarding processes over the past five years, both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and across the organisation.
The charity has implemented several measures in response to the findings.
These include appointing an anthropologist to ensure the Baka communities receive better support.
The board of African Parks has reviewed Omnia's advice and "endorsed the management plan and timeframes to implement the recommendations resulting from this process".
