On 21 October, as part of the 81st regular session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Bureau of Human Rights (ISHR) issued a statement on the human rights situation in Africa under Item 3.
In this discussion, which embraced the intervention of civil society, states, and national human rights institutions, ISHR particularly highlighted the challenges and threats facing human rights defenders in many countries.
In Burkina Faso, the ISHR highlighted that human rights defenders, journalists, magistrates, lawyers and other members of civil society are being forcibly registered with the military in order to be sent into combat. The IHR similarly condemned the enforced disappearances of civil society members in the country. Serge Oulon of l’Evènement, Adama Bayala of Presse Echos, and Kalifara Séré of 7Infos are still missing as of this writing. ISR called on the Burkina Faso government to end this practice.
In Mauritius, despite the recent decriminalization of homosexuality by the Supreme Court of Mauritius, the ISHR further expanded on the threats faced by LGBTQI human rights defenders, particularly the threat of physical violence and restrictions on their activities. ISR called on the Government of Mauritius to ensure adequate protection for human rights defenders and to prosecute those who violate the rights of human rights defenders.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, challenges remain in enforcing laws regarding human rights defenders. As IHR reported, civil society continued to face undue restrictions on freedom of association and, thus, access to legal personality. Additionally, the government has made clear its intention to prosecute LGBTQI people under anti-gay laws, leading to even greater risks for LGBTQI human rights defenders. The IHR called on the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to fully implement existing laws aimed at promoting the exercise of the right to freedom of association and protecting human rights defenders.
Finally, the ISHR also called on the African Commission itself to improve access to information in its procedures and to ensure greater transparency into the activities of African countries, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It called for a progressive interpretation of Article 59. Commission for Civil Society in line with international standards.
Regarding positive developments on the continent, ISHR was pleased that, thanks to the efforts of civil society, the process of adopting a new law on the protection of human rights defenders is progressing in the Republic of Congo.
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