Guinea: Post-election violence averted, but strong tensions remain

Published: 27 Oct 2015

On 17 October 2015, Alpha Condé, the incumbent president of the Republic of Guinea was declared the winner of Guinea’s presidential elections. With 58% of the vote, Condé was able to avoid a second round. The opposition, led by Cellou Dalein Diallo however, described the election as a “masquerade” and refused to recognise the results….

Open Letter to the Extraordinary African Chambers in the Courts of Senegal

Published: 16 Oct 2015

Failing to Prosecute Hissène Habré for Sexual Crimes Would be Missing a Historic Opportunity Mr. President of the Extraordinary African Chambers, Mr. Chief Prosecutor, We welcome the creation of the Extraordinary African Chambers, a special tribunal created by the African Union and Senegal to prosecute international crimes committed in Chad during the rule of Hissène…

Botswana: Repatriating Eritreans Without Access to Asylum Procedure Would Violate International Law and Could Amount to Refoulement

Published: 16 Oct 2015

The International Refugee Rights Initiative expresses grave concern over reports that the government of Botswana plans to repatriate ten Eritrean asylum seekers without ensuring access to refugee status determination procedures and respect for the right to seek asylum and urges the government to respect its commitment to refugee rights and its obligations under law, and…

Botswana: Repatriating Eritreans Without Access to Asylum Procedure Would Violate International Law and Could Amount to Refoulement

Published: 16 Oct 2015

The International Refugee Rights Initiative expresses grave concern over reports that the government of Botswana plans to repatriate ten Eritrean asylum seekers without ensuring access to refugee status determination procedures and respect for the right to seek asylum and urges the government to respect its commitment to refugee rights and its obligations under law, and…

Sexual Crimes – Largely Forgotten in the Habré Case

Published: 16 Oct 2015

Five weeks after the start of the trial of former Chadian dictator, Hissène Habré, 17 women’s rights organization , including the Panzi Foundation of Dr Denis Muwege, often referred to as “the man who mends women”, have issued an Open letter denouncing the insufficient attention given to sexual violence in the indictment.

Despite a presidential pardon, human rights abuses continue in the Gambia

Published: 8 Oct 2015

On 22 July 2015, to mark the 21st anniversary of his accession to power, President Jammeh announced that he would release approximately 200 detainees in the country. Among those released were all of those who had been convicted of treason between 1994 and 2013 received a presidential pardon. Although the pardon was welcomed by Gambians,…