Press Release on the Joint Meeting of Working Group on Death Penalty and Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa & the UN Special Rapproteur on Extra-Judicial,

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The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Secretariat) wishes to inform the general public that a Joint Meeting of the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions (UN Special Rapporteur) and the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) will be taking place from 26 to 27 July 2013, in Pretoria, South Africa.

The meeting, which is part of the promotion mandate of the Commission, is being organized within the framework of Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter), and more specifically, in accordance with Resolution ACHPR /Res.79 (XXXVIII) 05. The mandate of this Working Group amongst other things is to:  (i) develop a Strategic Plan, including a practical and legal framework on the abolition of the death penalty, (ii) collect information, and (iii) continue to monitor the situation of the application of the death penalty in States Parties to the African Charter.

The specific objective of the upcoming Meeting is to continue discussions on the process of drafting an Additional Protocol to the African Charter on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa, issues of the Death Penalty and Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions in Africa as well as areas of collaboration between the Commission’s Working Group and the UN Special Rapporteur.

The Chairperson of the Working Group, Honorable Commissioner Kayitesi Zainabo Sylvie, together with Honorable Commissioner Med. S.K. Kaggwa and Honorable Commissioner Maya Sahli-Fadel, in collaboration with Professor Christof Heyns, the UN Special Rapporteur will lead the upcoming discussions in Pretoria.  Expert Members of the Commission’s Working Group, Professor Philip Iya, Professor Carlson Anyangwe, Ms. Alice Mogwe and Mme. Alya Chammari, will also participate in the joint Meeting. A staff of the Commission’s Secretariat will assist the Meeting.    

             Banjul, 12 June 2013.

For further information on the meeting, please contact:

Mrs. Aminata Jawara Manga

Legal Officer

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District

Western Region,

P.O Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia.

Tel: +220 4410505/4410506

Fax: +220 4410504

Email: mangaa@africa-union.org

            au-banjul@africa-union.org