The Republic of Uganda   Background Uganda signed the Malabo Protocol in July 2017, indicating support for the African Court. Uganda generally has a positive attitude towards African Human Rights mechanisms including the African Court of Human and People’s Rights. Also, Uganda was the first country to refer a situation to the ICC after ratifying the Rome Statute in 2002 … Read More

The Republic of Tunisia   Background  The level of democracy and rule of law in Tunisia is laudable by many standards, considering where the country was six years ago and before the downfall of former President Ben Ali in 2011. Although the current Government recently passed a controversial amnesty law granting immunity for certain past crimes of corruption, reports say … Read More

The Republic of Sierra Leone   Background Sierra Leone has had first-hand experience of the destructive effects of the absence of the rule of law and presence of impunity. As many as 50,000 lives were lost and more than two million people were displaced during the civil war, with thousands of others becoming victims of amputation, rape and sexual slavery. … Read More

Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe   Background Sao Tome and Principe is a multiparty and democratic system. In the 2014 legislative elections, the then opposition party Independent Democratic Action ADI (Acção Democrática Independente) won 33 of the 55 seats of the parliament. The same party won the 2016 presidential elections after the incumbent president from the Movement for … Read More

Mauritania   Background The most recent and significant political development in Mauritania was the 2017 referendum to amend the 1991 Constitution, in which the President sought to replace the Senate (one of the two houses of Parliament) with elected regional councils, abolish some state institutions, and change the national flag. The Executive, particularly the President of Mauritania has extensive formal … Read More

Kingdom of Lesotho   Background Lesotho is a State Party to a number of supranational courts. At the international level, Lesotho was among the first States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The country has reiterated its support for the ICC, even after a few African countries announced their intention to withdraw from the Court and the AU adopted … Read More

The Republic of Kenya   Background Kenya is a state party to a number of supra-national courts. The country became a member state of the ICC in 2005 and had relatively amicable relations with the Court until the Prosecutor decided to open an investigation against and ultimately indict six Kenyan high state officials. Afterwards the relationship between the Kenyan Government … Read More

The Republic of Guinea Bissau Background Guinea-Bissau has signed, but not ratified, all of the protocols relating to the establishment of a continental court, including the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Court of Justice, and the African Court of Justice and Human Rights. However, at the sub-regional level, Guinea-Bissau is a member of the Economic Community … Read More

The Republic of Ghana   Background Ghana was one of the first countries to become a State Party to the Rome Statute. Although it has taken a long time to domesticate the Rome Statute, Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to be a strong supporter of the Court. Showing its dedication to the protection of human rights, Ghana not only ratified … Read More

The Republic of the Congo Background  In 2015, a controversial revision of the Constitution, which was passed through a referendum, abolished both the 70-year age limit on and the two-term limit for presidential candidates and allowed the 71-year-old Denis Sossou Nguesso to run for a third term. After Denis Sassou Nguesso’s re-election in 2016, violence broke out in the southern … Read More

The republic of Chad   Background Since obtaining independence in 1960, Chad has been beset by autocratic and military regimes, coups d’états and civil wars that have led to gross violations of human rights. Former President Hissene Habré was tried—to international standards—by the Extraordinary African Chambers within the courts of Senegal, and convicted of crimes against humanity and torture committed … Read More

The Republic of Burundi Background Burundi has a heavy history of gross human rights violations that have not been addressed for decades. Also, according to a report of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Burundi and the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber III of the ICC, crimes against humanity have allegedly been committed since April 2015 in Burundi. Other major … Read More

The Republic of Burkina Faso Background Although a relatively stable country for past thirty years, Burkina Faso has been characterized by a culture of impunity for the coup d’état that occurred in 1987 and for serious human rights violations that have occurred since. The collapse of former President Blaise Compaore’s 27-year regime in 2014 marked a new era for Burkina … Read More

The Republic of Botswana Background  Botswana is considered to be one of the few stable democracies in Africa. Botswana’s respect for human rights and level of democracy is commendable by most standards. But the current President, Seretse Khama, is accused of consolidating power, by making a number of Government bodies like the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime under his … Read More

The Republic of Benin Background Benin has had a stable and democratic government since the 1990s. It has peacefully organized six presidential elections, seven legislative elections, and three local elections. From that time, Benin has not experienced gross human rights violations. However, a number of recurrent transnational and domestic crimes affect the country’s security and economy, including piracy, toxic waste … Read More

Democratic and People’s Republic of Algeria   Background  Like other North African countries, Algeria experienced the Arab Spring in 2011. Following the popular uprising, the government instituted some political and legal reforms for associations, political parties, elections and the media. The Algerian also government lifted the state of emergency that had lasted for two decades. However, the Algerian regime has … Read More