VIRTUAL SESSION, 25th FEBRUARY – 11th MARCH 2025
1. In accordance with Article 64(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples‘ Rights (the African Charter), read with Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure (2020), the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) held its 82nd Ordinary Session (the Session) virtually from 25th February to 11th March 2025.
2. The Session was chaired by Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Chairperson of the Commission, assisted by Honourable Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, Vice-Chairperson.
3. The following Members of the Commission participated in the Session:
i. Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Chairperson;
ii. Honourable Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, Vice-Chairperson;
iii. Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso;
iv. Honourable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem;
v. Honourable Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela;
vi. Honourable Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga;
vii. Honourable Commissioner Marie Louise Abomo;
viii. Honourable Commissioner Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo;
ix. Honourable Commissioner Idrissa Sow;
x. Honourable Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana; and
xi. Honourable Commissioner Selma Sassi Safer.
4. The Commission considered and adopted decisions relating to eleven (11) Communications, as follows:
i. Four (4) Communications on Merits;
ii. Four (4) Communications on Admissibility, of which two (2) were found admissible, while two (2) were found inadmissible; and
iii. Three (3) Communications were Struck-out.
The consideration of one (1) Communication on Admissibility was deferred.
5. The Commission considered and adopted the following Concluding Observations on States’ Periodic Reports:
i. Concluding Observations on the 8th – 9th Periodic Report of the Republic of Angola under the African Charter (2016-2023), the Maputo Protocol and Initial Report on the Kampala Convention; and
ii. Concluding Observations on the 5th to 7th Combined Periodic Report of the People’s Republic of Burkina Faso on the African Charter, the Maputo Protocol and the Kampala Convention (2015-2021).
6. The Commission considered the following reports relating to visits to States Party:
i. Report on the Promotion Mission to the Union of the Comoros (16-20 September 2024); and
ii. Report of the Country Rapporteur on the Information and Advocacy Mission to the Arab Republic of Egypt (10-15 December 2024).
7. The Commission deliberated on the following:
i. Updates on the Sudan Joint Fact-Finding Mission, pursuant to Resolution ACHPR/Res.590 (LXXX) 2024 on the Joint Fact-Finding Mission to the Republic of Sudan;
ii. Complementarity with the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Court) and status of preparations for the Joint Retreat of the Court and the Commission; and
iii. The Report of the AU-ECOSOCC on the Harmonized Mechanism for the Granting of Consultative and Observer Status to Civil Society Organizations in Africa.
8. The Commission considered and adopted the following reports/papers/studies:
i. Report of the Chairperson on the Meetings of the AU Policy Organs;
ii. Draft Guidelines for State Reporting on Articles 10 and 11 of the African Charter;
iii. Paper on Intersession Reports submitted by Special Mechanisms;
iv. Report of the Project on Enhancing Implementation of the Commission’s Decisions;
v. Paper on the hosting of the Pan-African Human Rights Institute;
vi. Report on the Audit of Communications & Report on Administrative Seizure;
vii. Report of the Advisory Committee on Budgetary and Staff Matters;
viii. Combined Report on Follow-up Actions from the 81st Ordinary Session & 37th Extra-Ordinary Session.
9. The Chairperson gave a briefing on the activities in Addis Ababa on the margins of the Summit with regards to the conflict in Tigray.
10. The following meetings of Administrative and Technical Special Mechanisms of the Commission were held:
i. Meeting of the Working Group on Communications;
ii. Meeting of the Resolutions Committee; and
iii. Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Staff and Budgetary Matters.
11. The Commission considered and adopted the following Resolutions:
i. Resolution on the extension of the deadline for conducting a study on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in Africa;
ii. Resolution on the extension of the deadline for conducting the review of the study on the death penalty;
iii. Resolution on the drafting of a model law on the criminalization of torture in Africa;
iv. Resolution on the need to develop guidelines on the elimination of obstetric violence and promotion of maternal healthcare in Africa;
v. Resolution for the development of a framework towards the withdrawal of reservations on the Maputo Protocol;
vi. Resolution on the celebration of Africa's day of solidarity with the world and the bravery of its combatants;
vii. Resolution on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
viii. Resolution on the need for a study on the development of a specific legal framework for the protection of forcibly displaced persons in Africa as a result of climate change;
ix. Resolution on the situation of sub-Saharan migrants in Libya;
x. Resolution on developing guidelines to assist States monitor technology companies in respect of their duty to maintain information integrity through independent fact checking;
xi. Resolution on working towards the assessment of public interest content in this digital era and developing guidelines to ensure a public interest element for all platforms operating in Africa.
12. The Commission decided to hold its 83rd Ordinary Session from 2 – 22 May 2025.
Done on 11th March 2025, Banjul, The Republic of The Gambia.
