At its 38th Ordinary Session held from 21 November to 5 December 2005 in Banjul, The Gambia, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Commission) adopted Resolution ACHPR/Res.79 (XXXVIII) 05 establishing a Working Group on Death Penalty in Africa.
By Resolution ACHPR/Res.227 (LII) 2012 adopted at its 52nd Ordinary Session held from 9 to 22 October 2012 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, the Commission decided to expand the mandate of the Working Group to include extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings, and changed the name of the Working Group to “Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa”.
The Working Group is currently composed of three members of the Commission and three expert members. Its mandate is as follows:
- Prepare a concept paper on death penalty in Africa;
- Develop a strategic plan(s), including a practical and legal framework on the abolition of the death penalty;
- Collect information and continue to monitor the implementation of the death penalty in African States;
- Monitor, at all times, cases of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings;
- Collect information and keep a database of reported cases of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings in Africa;
- Conduct studies on issues relating to death penalty and to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings;
- Advise the Commission on urgent measures to be taken to address situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings that require immediate action;
- Respond effectively to information received, in particular when an extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killing is imminent or when such a killing has occurred;
- Develop a funding proposal for the activities of the Working Group;
- Collaborate with other partners, including international, national, governmental and non-governmental institutions in order to effectively implement its mandate;
In implementing its mandate, the Working Group undertakes promotion missions in the State Parties to the African Charter on human and peoples’ rights, organises sensitisation seminars and training sessions, publishes reports and research findings, sends urgent appeals and plays an active role in international and regional meetings on death penalty and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings issues.
As such, the Commission hereby invites applications in order to increase the number of expert members of the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa.
The Commission invites AU Member States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organisations and other institutions to nominate candidates. Interested individuals are also encouraged to apply.
Applicants are required to have proven skills and experience in the area of human rights, in particular death penalty and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings.
Applications should be accompanied by a cover letter, a detailed curriculum vitae and any other relevant document, and should be received at the Secretariat of the Commission by 28 March 2014 at the latest to enable the Commission to appoint new expert members of the Working Group during its 55th Ordinary Session to be held from 28 April to 12 May 2014.
Applications should be sent by email (au-banjul@africa-union.org or africancommission@yahoo.com) or to the following address:
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District, Western Region
P. O. Box 673 Banjul
The Gambia
Banjul, The Gambia, 13 February 2014
