AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS
COUNTRIES: CABO VERDE, GUINEA-BISSAU, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, MOZAMBIQUE AND SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
INTERSESSION ACTIVITY REPORT
COMMISSIONER MARIA TERESA MANUELA
As:
I. Member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and Rapporteur for Portuguese-speaking Countries; II. Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa; III. Member of the Working Group on the Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions and Enforced Disappearances; IV. Member of the Working Group on Communications; V. Member of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa
CONTENTS
SECTION I: Introduction
SECTION II: Activities conducted during the intersession period as:
I. Member of the Commission II. Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa and Rapporteur for the Portuguese-speaking countries III. Member of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa IV. Member of the Working Group on Communications
SECTION III: Challenges
SECTION IV: Recommendations and Conclusions.
SECTION I - INTRODUCTION
- This Report is presented in accordance with Rule 23(3) and 72 of the Rules of Procedure of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (the Commission)(2020). The Report covers activities continued between the 77th and 79th Ordinary Sessions, in accordance with the objectives provided in the annual plan implementation matrix, which derives from the Strategic Plan 2021-2025.
- The Report covers the activities I undertook as: a Member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission); the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Police Action in Africa (the Special Rapporteur); a Member of the Working Group on the Death Penalty; and a Member of the Working Group on Communications. It also includes the activities conducted as Rapporteur for five (5) Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.
- This Report is divided into four (4) parts: Introduction; Activities during the Intersession Period; Challenges faced in the exercise of the mandate as Special Rapporteur and Member of the ACHPR and Recommendations and Conclusions.
SECTION II - ACTIVITIES DURING THE INTERSESSION PERIOD
I - ACTIVITIES AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION
A/Statutory meetings
- From 23 February to 8 March, I participated in the 79th Ordinary Session of the Commission. The session considered a number of issues related to the activities of the Commission, in particular the human rights situation on the continent, which led to the adoption of several Resolutions and the consideration and decision on various Communications.
- On 11 May, I attended the NGO Forum during which civil society organizations discussed the human rights situation on the continent. The model adopted for presenting the rights situation by region is interesting and allows us to understand what is essential in each region. There is constant reference in this Forum to issues related to prisons and the policing, with reports of unlawful detention, prison overcrowding and its consequences, which lead to a lack of respect for the dignity of prisoners.