The African Commission, together with ISHR and regional NGOs, are holding a consultation this week on reprisals against anyone cooperating with the African human rights system

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights invites human rights defenders to provide concrete inputs and suggestions on how to address and prevent reprisals against individuals and groups cooperating with the African human rights system.

The International Service for Human Rights, in partnership with the office of the African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Côte d’Ivoire Human Rights Defenders Network and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defender Project, are holding a regional consultation on reprisals against anyone cooperating with the African human rights system on 12-13 February in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The consultation will be attended by the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on HRDs, Ms Reine Alapini-Gansou and HRDs from more than 10 countries across Africa, including focal points of sub-regional human rights defenders networks.

Following the adoption of resolution 273 by the African Commission in 2014, a focal point was created to address the issue of reprisals. ‘This regional consultation will offer African human rights defenders the unique first-hand opportunity to provide concrete inputs and recommendations to the African Commission on how to deal with reprisals against anyone cooperating with the African human rights system’, said Mr Clement Voulé, Programme Manager at ISHR.

‘We have already learned a lot from the UN’s experience on handling reprisals cases. This will help us to strengthen the African focal point on ensuring accountability for those responsible for committing reprisals, as well as on preventing the persistence of this trend’, added Mr Voulé.

Those who wish to provide written inputs to the Special Rapporteur on how to most effectively exercise her mandate on tackling reprisals against anyone cooperating with the African human rights system may do so at the following email address: [email protected].

For more information please contact Clement Voulé, Programme Manager (States in Transition) and African Commission Advocacy Coordinator, +41 22 919 71 00 or [email protected].