African Court on Human and Peoples Rights - 2020

58 judgments
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Results. 58 judgments found.

58 judgments
December 2020
Benin violated rights to strike, political participation, association, life, and judicial independence during 2018–2019 elections and reforms.
  • Human rights — right to strike; right to life, integrity, and protection from torture; political participation; freedom of association — independent judiciary and electoral bodies — amnesty laws and effective remedy — requirement of national consensus for constitutional amendment — African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights — ECOWAS and ACDEG obligations — elections and constitutional law — state accountability for post-election violence.
4 December 2020
The Court found Benin's 2019 constitutional revision violated national consensus and ordered repeal of the revised Constitution and related laws.
  • Human rights — constitutional law — principle of national consensus in constitutional revision — political participation — presumption of innocence — access to public services — effective remedy — jurisdiction and admissibility before the African Court
4 December 2020
November 2020
Request for provisional measures dismissed as appeal in cassation suspended execution of contested judgment, precluding urgency or irreparable harm.
  • Provisional measures — African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration — suspensive effect of appeal — urgency — irreparable harm — jurisdiction — criminal proceedings — right to fair trial.
27 November 2020
The Court lacks jurisdiction over claims based on laws enacted before Ghana ratified the Protocol and Declaration, as violations were not continuing.
  • African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights — compulsory acquisition of land — temporal jurisdiction of African Court — distinction between instantaneous and continuous violations — application cannot be heard if acts occurred before state ratified Charter and Protocol — requirement for respondent to be a State party — indigenous land rights.
27 November 2020
Application dismissed as inadmissible due to lack of mandate authorizing representation before the Court despite finding jurisdiction.
  • African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — personal jurisdiction — informality of applicant groups — mandate of legal representation — admissibility — power of attorney for international litigation — procedural requirement for representation before international court.
27 November 2020
The court found violations of the applicant’s rights to defence, humane treatment, and family life during his trial and detention.
  • Human rights — fair trial rights — right to defence; detention conditions — cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment; obligations of the State regarding medical care and family contact in detention; standards for reparations in cases of violation; evidentiary requirements for claims of judicial impartiality and denial of legal aid.
27 November 2020
Court found no real or imminent risk justifying provisional measures and dismissed the applicant's request accordingly.
  • Human rights — Provisional measures — Prima facie jurisdiction — Withdrawal of state declaration under Article 34(6) — Absence of real and imminent risk — Criteria for provisional measures — Mootness — Court procedure on urgent examination — Enforcement of court orders.
27 November 2020
Request for provisional measures dismissed as the Applicant failed to demonstrate urgency or irreparable harm under Article 27(2) of the Protocol.
  • Human rights — provisional measures — prima facie jurisdiction — urgency and irreparable harm — stay of execution — Article 27(2) Protocol; Jurisdiction of African Court pending withdrawal of Article 34(6) Declaration.
27 November 2020
A constitutional amendment adopted without national consensus, robust judicial independence, and public access to information violated multiple human rights instruments.
  • Constitutional law — constitutional amendments — national consensus — independence and impartiality of courts — right to information — economic, social and cultural rights — right to peace and security — application of African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance — remedies and non-pecuniary reparation.
27 November 2020
Benin violated its duty to ensure an independent and impartial electoral body, undermining the right to free political participation.
  • Human rights — right to participate in government — independence and impartiality of electoral bodies — composition of electoral list management body (COS-LEPI) — Article 13(1) African Charter — Article 17(1) ACDEG — Article 3 ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy — jurisdiction and admissibility of individual applications — electoral law reform timing — reparations.
27 November 2020
Request to suspend application of revised electoral law before elections denied due to inability to establish urgency and irreparable harm.
  • Human rights — Electoral law — Provisional measures — Right to political participation — Criteria for granting provisional measures — Requirement of urgency and irreparable harm — African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
20 November 2020
The court re-opened pleadings to allow amended submissions and evidence in the interest of justice.
  • Civil procedure — reopening of pleadings — interests of justice — amendment of application and submission of additional evidence — fair opportunity to present reparations claims.
20 November 2020
The court granted leave for the applicant to amend his pleadings before the close of pleadings, following proper procedure.
  • Civil Procedure — amendment of pleadings — application for leave — compliance with procedural requirements — timing of application — African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights
20 November 2020
October 2020
The Court refused to grant provisional measures to halt Tanzania’s elections, finding no extreme urgency or irreparable harm established.
  • Human rights — Provisional measures — African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights — Jurisdiction after withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration — Extreme urgency and irreparable harm — Electoral rights and participation — Refusal to stay elections pending merits determination.
30 October 2020
Application for provisional measures regarding alleged electoral rights violations declared moot after dissolution of parliament.
  • Provisional measures — Electoral rights — Mootness — African Charter, ICCPR, ECOWAS Protocol — Jurisdiction of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — Dissolution of national parliament rendering application moot
23 October 2020
September 2020
The Court dismissed a request for provisional measures, finding no urgency or irreparable harm linked to an order restricting acts of authority.
  • Provisional measures — jurisdiction of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — requirements for urgency and irreparable harm — effect of withdrawal of Article 34(6) Declaration — right to presumption of innocence — right to nationality — inter-ministerial order prohibiting acts for persons wanted by judicial authorities.
25 September 2020
Requests for urgent reinstatement and compensation were dismissed for lack of urgency and risk of prejudging merits in a dismissal dispute.
  • Human Rights — Provisional measures — Jurisdiction — Admissibility — Labour disputes with intergovernmental organisations — Urgency, irreparable harm, and the risk of prejudging merits — Dismissal of requests for reinstatement and compensation.
25 September 2020
Provisional measures were granted to prevent irreparable harm to civil and political rights pending the merits of an election-related dispute.
  • Human rights — provisional measures — right to political participation — suspension of criminal conviction’s effect — removal from voters’ register — irreparable harm — African Charter — jurisdiction after withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration.
25 September 2020
Request for provisional measures to suspend Benin’s withdrawal of Article 34(6) Declaration denied for lack of urgency or irreparable harm.
  • Human Rights — Right of access to regional judicial mechanisms — Withdrawal of Declaration under Article 34(6) of Protocol — Provisional measures — Requirements of extreme gravity and urgency — Admissibility of unsigned application — Procedural flexibility by Court.
25 September 2020
Failure to provide free legal assistance warranted moral damages but not material compensation or further non-pecuniary remedies.
  • Human rights — fair trial — right to free legal assistance — reparations — material and moral damages — causal link to violation — assessment of compensation — non-pecuniary remedies — reporting obligations — costs.
25 September 2020
Application struck out due to applicant's failure to respond, signaling abandonment of the case under Rule 58.
  • Civil procedure — striking out application for want of prosecution — failure to respond to court requests — abandonment inferred from inactivity.
25 September 2020
Application dismissed as inadmissible for being filed outside reasonable time despite exhaustion of local remedies.
  • Human rights — African Charter — Admissibility — Reasonable time — Exhaustion of local remedies — African Court's jurisdiction — Whether delay in filing application may be excused by applicant’s circumstances — Extraordinary remedies not required for exhaustion.
25 September 2020
An application alleging fair trial violations was dismissed as inadmissible for failure to file within a reasonable time after exhausting local remedies.
  • Human rights — Admissibility of application — Exhaustion of local remedies — Timely filing — Jurisdiction of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — Right to fair trial — Reasonable time for filing application
25 September 2020
Application for fair trial violations struck out after domestic redress and applicant's loss of interest in further pursuit.
  • Human rights — fair trial — right of appeal — discontinuance of application — striking out — redress by national courts sufficing for closure of matter.
25 September 2020
The court dismissed allegations of unfair trial and discrimination, finding no Charter violations in the applicants’ criminal conviction and proceedings.
  • Human rights — fair trial — right to impartial tribunal — legality of criminal offences — denial of bail — discrimination and equality — exhaustion of local remedies — admissibility of applications before regional human rights court.
25 September 2020
The Court granted Mauritius leave to intervene in a case concerning the right to self-determination and decolonization in Africa.
  • International human rights law — African Charter — Application for intervention — Third-party intervention — Right to self-determination — Decolonization — Erga omnes obligations — Procedural requirements for intervention — Order versus judgment in intervention proceedings.
25 September 2020
The Court ordered Benin to remove all barriers preventing the applicant's candidacy in the 2021 presidential election as provisional relief.
  • Human rights — right to political participation — provisional measures — imminent election — removal of barriers to candidacy — urgency and irreparable harm — jurisdiction after state withdrawal — request for non-merits measures dismissed.
25 September 2020
Court finds no violation where rejection for police promotion was based on regulatory criteria consistent with international obligations.
  • Human rights — equality before the law — non-discrimination — employment and promotion in public service — interpretation of domestic law in light of international obligations — requirements for promotion and training within police services — compatibility of domestic regulatory criteria with international human rights instruments.
25 September 2020
An application was declared inadmissible for failure to exhaust local remedies in a labour rights dispute.
  • Human Rights — Admissibility of complaints — Requirement to exhaust local remedies — Application dismissed as premature — Labour law — Dismissal from employment — Right to work.
25 September 2020
Failure to provide free legal assistance in a serious criminal trial to indigent defendants violated the right to a fair trial.
  • Criminal procedure — right to fair trial — right to free legal assistance for indigent accused — admissibility of application — exhaustion of remedies — compensation for denial of legal aid — sentencing and evaluation of evidence under domestic law.
25 September 2020
Immediate provisional measures ordered to protect the applicant’s electoral rights after non-compliance with a prior court ruling by the state.
  • Human rights — right to political participation — provisional measures — irreparable harm — non-compliance with court orders — effect of withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration on pending cases — jurisdiction of the African Court — electoral rights and urgent interim relief.
15 September 2020
The court re-opened reparations pleadings due to procedural fairness concerns arising from communication obstacles with the applicant.
  • Human rights — procedural fairness — exceptional circumstances justifying re-opening of pleadings — communication difficulties with applicant in refugee status — Rule 50(2) of Rules of Court — right to a reply on reparations submissions
8 September 2020
The court re-opened reparations pleadings to admit new evidence due to exceptional difficulties caused by the pandemic and incarceration.
  • Human rights — right to fair trial — reparations — procedural law — reopening of pleadings — additional evidence — exceptional circumstances — COVID-19 pandemic.
4 September 2020
July 2020
The Court dismissed requests for provisional measures due to insufficient evidence, confirming its jurisdiction despite withdrawal of declaration.
  • Human rights — Application for provisional measures — Withdrawal of Article 34(6) Declaration — Requirements for granting provisional measures — Insufficient evidence for provisional relief — Jurisdiction of African Court unaffected for pending applications before withdrawal's effective date.
15 July 2020
Exclusion of judicial review for presidential elections violates Charter rights to non-discrimination and a fair hearing under African human rights law.
  • Constitutional law — exclusion of judicial review of presidential elections — right to non-discrimination — right to a fair hearing — access to judicial remedies — State obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter — continuous violation and effective remedies under human rights law.
15 July 2020
A request for review was dismissed as the applicant failed to present new evidence not previously within his knowledge.
  • Application for review — Admissibility — New evidence — Article 28(3) Protocol — Rule 67(1) Rules of Court — Exhaustion of local remedies — Res judicata.
15 July 2020
The Court ordered joinder of two similar applications alleging Charter rights violations by four West African states.
  • Joinder of cases — Similarity of facts and legal issues — Claims of violation of rights under the African Charter — Judicial economy — Consolidation of proceedings.
15 July 2020
Côte d’Ivoire’s electoral law reforms partially failed to guarantee independent, balanced local commissions and genuinely participatory nomination processes.
  • Electoral law — Independence and impartiality of electoral commissions — Compliance with international and regional standards — Execution of prior court judgments — Right to participate in government — Equality before the law — Admissibility and jurisdiction of regional human rights court.
15 July 2020
June 2020
Tanzania was found to have violated fair trial rights by failing to provide free legal assistance and timely appeal proceedings.
  • Human rights — right to fair trial — right to legal assistance — inordinate delay in appeal proceedings — moral damages — African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 7(1); ICCPR Article 14(3)(d) — denial of equality and cruel or inhuman treatment — standards of evidence — reparations for procedural rights violations.
26 June 2020
Failure to provide free legal assistance in a serious criminal case violated the applicant's fair trial rights under the African Charter.
  • Fair trial — right to legal assistance — failure to provide legal aid in criminal proceedings — admissibility — jurisdiction of African Court — assessment of evidence and charge sheet irregularities — remedy for violation of fair trial rights — monetary reparation for moral prejudice.
26 June 2020
Failure to provide free legal assistance in a serious criminal trial violated the applicant’s fair trial rights under the African Charter.
  • Human rights — fair trial — right to legal assistance — failure to provide free legal representation in serious criminal matters — fair trial guarantees — miscarriage of justice — exhaustion of domestic remedies — remedy for moral prejudice.
26 June 2020
Dismissal of a complaint alleging violation of fair trial, equality, and right to work due to lack of evidence of human rights violations.
  • Human rights — fair trial — right to equality before the law — right to work — employment termination — procedural fairness — assessment of judicial impartiality — discrimination — exhaustion of domestic remedies — African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights — no established violation found.
26 June 2020
The Court dismissed the application as inadmissible due to unreasonable delay in filing after exhausting local remedies.
  • Human rights — Admissibility — Reasonable time — Requirement to file application within reasonable time after exhausting local remedies — Jurisdiction of the African Court after State withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration
26 June 2020
Application dismissed as inadmissible due to unreasonable delay in filing after exhaustion of domestic remedies.
  • African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights — admissibility — exhaustion of domestic remedies — requirement to file application within a reasonable time — default judgment — jurisdiction of the Court — consequences of unreasonable delay in filing application.
26 June 2020
The Court dismissed the case as inadmissible due to filing outside a reasonable time after exhausting domestic remedies.
  • Human rights — jurisdiction of the African Court — withdrawal of article 34(6) declaration — admissibility — exhaustion of local remedies — reasonable time to file application — standards for admissibility under Article 56(6) of the Charter and Rule 40(6) of the Rules.
26 June 2020
The court dismissed the application for review, finding no new evidence as required to reopen its prior judgment.
  • Human rights — review of judgment — criteria for admissibility — 'new evidence' — Article 28(3) of the Protocol — Rule 67(1) of the Rules — provisional measures — mootness upon inadmissibility of review application.
26 June 2020
May 2020
Court awards moral damages for proven fair trial violations but declines compensation for material loss and indirect victims.
  • Human rights — fair trial — reparations — proof of material and moral damages — indirect victims — non-pecuniary measures — reporting on implementation.
8 May 2020
The Court ordered a stay of execution of a national conviction pending its final decision, citing risk of irreparable harm.
  • Human rights — provisional measures — jurisdiction of African Court — effect of state withdrawal from Article 34(6) Declaration — extreme gravity and irreparable harm — stay of execution pending final judgment — requirements for granting provisional measures — fair trial rights.
6 May 2020
The Court ordered Benin to remove all legal and administrative barriers to the applicant’s candidacy in upcoming elections, pending judgment.
  • Human rights — Provisional measures — Political participation — Right to stand for public office — Requirements for urgency, extreme gravity and irreparable harm — Withdrawal of Article 34(6) declaration — African Court’s jurisdiction — Benin electoral law — Exclusion of independent candidates — Provisional removal of legal impediments to candidacy.
5 May 2020
April 2020
The Court ordered the suspension of arrest and detention warrants and release on bail of political figures pending its judgment.
  • Human Rights — Provisional measures — Arrest and detention warrants against political figures — Allegations of violations of rights under the African Charter and ICCPR — Prima facie jurisdiction — Extreme urgency and risk of irreparable harm — Release on bail pending judgment on the merits.
22 April 2020