African Court begins 70th Ordinary session  

By Francis Ameyibor 

Tema, Sept. 4, GNA-The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights is set to convene its 70th Ordinary Session, scheduled to run from September 4 to September 29, 2023, in Arusha, Tanzania. 

A statement signed by Dr. Robert Eno, African Court Registrar, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tema, said the Court would deliver judgements on 15 cases on September 5, 2023. 

The delivery of  the decisions would be accessible via live streaming in both English and French. 

Meanwhile, Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, President of the Court, explained that during the session, the Court would consider eleven applications and deal with other administrative matters. 

She said the African Continental Court would also receive a delegation from the West African Economic and Monetary Union Court, a sub-regional court based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for a two-day working visit aimed at sharing best practices and experiences. 

Lady Justice Aboud explained that on September 8, 2023, the African Court would have an Exchange with the Minority Rights Group on current trends, practices, and jurisprudence on the protection of the rights of minorities and indigenous populations and communities. 

The 2023 Library Week of the African Court would be held between September 11 and 15. 

The African Court was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Protocol).  

The Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was adopted on 9th June 1998 in Burkina Faso and came into force on 25th January 2004 after it was ratified by more than 15 countries.  

The mandate of the Court is to complement and reinforce the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission – often referred to as the Banjul Commission), which is a quasi-judicial body charged with monitoring the implementation of the Charter. 

The Court applies the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other human rights instruments ratified by the States concerned. It does not have criminal jurisdiction like the International Criminal Court. 

The Mission of the African Court is to enhance the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights by strengthening the human rights protection system in Africa and ensuring respect for and compliance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as other international human rights instruments, through judicial decisions. 

GNA 

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