The fight for human rights in Africa faces significant challenges, and it's time we shed light on them. The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) is actively working to protect human rights defenders (HRDs) across the African continent, and their recent report to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) highlights some critical issues. This report, presented during the ACHPR's 85th session, sheds light on the struggles HRDs face. But here's where it gets controversial: the lack of progress in protecting those who champion human rights.
ISHR's statement, delivered under the item activity report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa, expressed deep concern over the slow adoption and implementation of laws designed to safeguard HRDs. Despite previous sessions, little has changed. This inaction leaves those who bravely advocate for others vulnerable.
The report specifically calls out concerning situations in several regions. Repressions against HRDs are reported in the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger), Côte d’Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ISHR brought attention to specific cases, including those of Me Guy Hervé Kam, Me Doli Ini Benjamine Esther, Atiana Serge Oulon, and Miphal Ousmane Lankoandé from Burkina Faso; Jedidia Mabela from DRC; and Hugues Comlan Sosoukpe, a human rights defender exiled in Togo, arrested in Côte d'Ivoire and extradited to Benin.
To address these issues, ISHR has made several key recommendations to the African Commission. They urge States Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to:
- Repeal restrictive laws that limit civic space.
- Align national laws with international standards for protecting human rights and HRDs.
- Adopt and implement laws recognizing and protecting HRDs.
- Investigate cases of enforced disappearances of HRDs.
- Respect and adhere to the guidelines of the African Commission on the conditions of arrest, custody, and pre-trial detention in Africa.
And this is the part most people miss: the ACHPR's 85th Ordinary Session also covered a range of other crucial topics. These included state periodic reviews of Egypt, Tunisia, and Botswana, the presentation of a fact-finding mission report on Sudan, and panels on various human rights issues. The session also focused on the implementation of recommendations with a human-rights-based approach, with a special focus on the reparations of African and African Descents.
Given the ongoing civil war in Sudan since April 15, 2023, and the alarming human rights violations, the African Commission conducted a virtual joint fact-finding mission to assess and document the situation.
What are your thoughts on the challenges HRDs face in Africa? Do you believe the recommendations made by ISHR are sufficient? Share your opinions in the comments below!
