It is with great sadness and grief that the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission) has learned of the death of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa, at the age of 90 on Sunday 26 December 2021.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was the face of the liberation struggle, the voice of the people, and an essential prophetic voice during South Africa's darkest hours. He was appointed by President Nelson Mandela to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up to investigate crimes committed by whites and blacks during the apartheid era. He is credited with coining the term 'rainbow nation' to describe the ethnic mix of post-apartheid South Africa.
The African Commission wishes to remember Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's personal courage, the clarity of his moral fury, but above all his empathy for all.
We also want to celebrate the life of one of our continent's most relentless defenders of human rights.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
