AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA African Commission on Human Commission Africaine des Droits de l’Homme & Peoples’ Rights & des Peuples 31, Bijilo Annex Lay-out, P. O. Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia Tel: (220) 441 05 05 / 441 05 06 Fax: (220) 441 05 04 E-mail: [email protected] ; Website: http://www.achpr.org 27th ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS (ACHPR) SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 54 OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................5 EVENTS PRECEDING THE SESSION.................................................................................................5 ATTENDANCE AT THE SESSION………………………..……………………………………………………5 THE OPENING CEREMONY.................................................................................................................6 SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMISSIONERS…………………..………………………………..………………………………..8 ELECTION OF THE BUREAU...............................................................................................................8 AGENDA OF THE SESSION.................................................................................................................9 COOPERATION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS (NHRIS) AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS)………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..9 HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN AFRICA………………..………………………………………9 ACTIVITIES OF MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION DURING THE INTER- SESSION…………….…………………………………………………………………….……..…….10 COMMISSIONER BAHAME TOM MUKIRYA NYANDUGA – ACTING CHAIRPERSON……………………….……………………………………………………..…………10 ACTIVITIES AS COMMISSIONER……………..………………………………..…………10 ACTIVITIES AS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AND MIGRANTS IN AFRICA (IDPS)……………………………………………………………………………………...……..11 COMMISSIONER CATHERINE DUPE ATOKI……….….……………………………………….12 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER……..……………………………….…….…………12 ACTIVITIES AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE FOLLOW-UP COMMITTEE OF THE ROBBEN ISLAND GUIDELINES ON THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE (RIG)……………………………………………………………………………………….……..14 COMMISSIONER MUSA NGARY BITAYE....................................................................................15 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER…………………………..……………..….………..15 27th Activity Report of the ACHPR 2 ACTIVITIES AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS / COMMUNITIES IN AFRICA….…………….………………….…….16 COMMISSIONER REINE ALAPINI-GANSOU…………………………….……………….…….17 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER……….……………………….………………….….17 ACTIVITIES AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP ON OLDER PERSONS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN AFRICA……………..……………….…………………..…….18 ACTIVITIES AS A SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN AFRICA………………………………………………………………………….…………....….19 COMMISSIONER SOYATA MAIGA…………………………………………………….................21 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER……………………...…………………………….…21 ACTIVITIES AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS/AFRICAN COMMISSION……………………………………………….22 COMMISSIONER MUMBA MALILA................................................................................................25 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER.................................................................................................25 ACTIVITIES AS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON PRISONS AND PLACES OF DETENTION IN AFRICA.......................................................................................................................................................25 COMMISSIONER ZAINABO SYLVIE KAYITESI …………………………… … … … 26 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER………..………………….……………………….................26 ACTIVITIES AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE DEATH PENALTY…………………………………………………………………………………………………27 ACTIVITIES AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP ON SPECIFIC ISSUES…………………………………………………………...…………………………..…………...27 COMMISSIONER PANSY TLAKULA..............................................................................................28 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER................................................................................................28 ACTIVITIES AS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN AFRICA .............................................................................................................................. 29 COMMISSIONER Y.K.J. YEUNG SIK YUEN.................................................................................30 ACTIVITIES AS A COMMISSIONER................................................................................................30 ACTIVITIES AS CHAIRPERSON ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS...........................31 SPECIAL MECHANISMS…………………………………………………………………….…...….31 DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIAL MECHANISMS…………………………………………….…….31 RE-ALLOCATION OF COUNTRIES OF RESPONSIBILITY………………………………..….32 PRIVATE SESSION REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL MATTERS………………………………………………………………………………………..……..33 CONSIDERATION OF STATE REPORTS UNDER ARTICLE 62 OF THE CHARTER……………………………………………………………………………………….………34 27th Activity Report of the ACHPR 3 STATUS OF SUBMISSION OF STATE REPORTS…………………………………………..……34 PROTECTION ACTIVITIES……………………………………..…………………………………..36 ADOPTION OF MISSION REPORTS...............................................................................................38 REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON BUDGET AND STAFF MATTERS……………………………………………………………………….………………….…...38 RULES OF PROCEDURE......................................................................................................................38 RESOLUTIONS.......................................................................................................................................38 SESSION REPORTS...............................................................................................................................39 7TH EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION ……………………………………………………..……….….39 DATES AND VENUE OF THE 47TH ORDINARY SESSION………………………………..…...40 SUBMISSION OF THE TWENTY- SEVENTH ACTIVITY REPORT………………………...…40 LIST OF ATTACHMENTS………………………………………………………………………..…..41 ANNEX 1 …………………………………………………………………………………...………..…..42 ANNEX 2…………………………………………………………………………………………………45 ANNEX 3…………………………………………………………………………………………………58 ANNEX 4…………………………………………………………………………………………..……..84 ANNEX 5…………………………………………………………………………………………..……109 27th Activity Report of the ACHPR 4 INTRODUCTION 1. This is the Twenty-Seventh (27th) Activity Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples‘ Rights (the ―ACHPR‖). 2.The Report describes the activities undertaken by the ACHPR from June to November 2009, and includes the 7th Extra-Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, held in Dakar, Senegal, from 5 to 12 October 2009 and the 46th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 11 to 25 November 2009. 3.Following the election of Commissioner Sanji Mmasenono Monageng to the Bench of the International Criminal Court and her subsequent resignation as a Member of the ACHPR, and the absence of the Vice Chairperson, Commissioner Angela Melo, Commissioners Bahame Tom Mukirya Nyanduga and Reine Alapini Gansou were elected as Acting Chairperson and Acting Vice Chairperson respectively on 14 July 2009. EVENTS PRECEDING THE SESSION 4.Members and staff of the ACHPR participated in, and collaborated with other human rights organisations in a series of activities preceding, and on the margins of the Session, including the following: i Meeting on the Research Findings of the ACHPR and the International labour Organisation Joint Project on Constitutional and Legislative Measures on the Rights of Indigenous Populations/Communities held on 6 November 2009, in Banjul, The Gambia; ii NGO Forum held from 7 to 9 November 2009, organised by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS); iii Working Group on Indigenous Populations held from 7 to 9 November 2009, organized by the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa; and iv 3rd Conference of National Human Rights Institutions held from 8 to 10 November 2009, organised by the Directorate of the Political Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC). ATTENDANCE AT THE SESSION 5.The following members of the ACHPR attended the 46th Ordinary Session (Session): - Commissioner Reine Alapini-Gansou, Acting Vice-Chairperson - Commissioner Catherine Dupe Atoki; 27th Activity Report of the ACHPR 5 - Commissioner Musa Ngary Bitaye - Commissioner Mohamed Fayek; - Commissioner Mohamed Bechir Khalfallah - Commissioner Soyata Maiga - Commissioner Mumba Malila; - Commissioner Kayitesi Zainabo Sylvie; - Commissioner Pansy Tlakula; and - Commissioner Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen. 6. Commissioner Angela Melo was absent. 7. Outgoing Chairperson, Commissioner Bahame Mukirya Tom Nyanduga, also attended part of the Session, and presided over the Opening Ceremony. THE OPENING CEREMONY 8. At the Opening Ceremony, speeches were delivered by the out-going Acting Chairperson of the ACHPR, Mr. Bahame Tom Mukirya Nyanduga; Ambassador Emile Ognimba, Director of the Political Affairs Directorate of the AUC, representing Her Excellency Mrs. Julia Dolly Joiner, Commissioner for Political Affairs, the representative of Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Mrs. Hannah Forster, the representative of the AU Member States, Honourable Minister of Justice from the Republic of Mozambique, Honourable Maria Benvinda D. Levi, representative of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI‘s),