ACHPR
Human Rights our Collective Responsibility
African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
85th Ordinary Session
17 to 30 October 2025
Banjul, The Gambia
Intersession Report
Presented by
Honourable Commissioner Topsy-Sonoo
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.
An Organ of the
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights 31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District, West Coast Region Phone: (220) 230 4361 Fax: (220) 441 05 04 Email: au-banjul@africa-union.org https://achpr.au.int/
Contents
I. Introduction
II. Activities of the Special Mechanism
- Protection activities
- Promotion activities
III. Activities as Country Rapporteur
- Protection activities
- Promotion activities
IV. Assessment of the human rights supervised by the mechanism in Africa
- Access to Information
- Freedom of expression
V. Conclusions and Recommendations
I. INTRODUCTION
- Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter) provides that: "(1) every individual shall have the right to receive information;" and "(2) every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinions within the law."
- The special mechanism on freedom of expression in Africa was established by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission) to monitor adherence to freedom of expression standards and to propose appropriate recommendations to the Commission and States Parties. It was subsequently expanded to include the right to access information.¹
- This report is presented in accordance with Rules 25(3) and 64 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure (2020) and covers activities undertaken by the special mechanism on freedom of expression and access to information in Africa, during the intersession period between May to October 2025
II. ACTIVITIES INVOLVING THE SPECIAL MECHANISM
Protection activities (Press releases and urgent appeals)
- In line with special mechanism's mandate to "make public interventions where violations of the right to freedom of expression and access to information have been brought to the mechanism's attention, including by issuing public statements, press releases, and sending appeals to Member States asking for clarifications," the following interventions were issued:
LETTERS OF URGENT APPEAL
- Joint Letter of Urgent Appeal to Cameroun
- On 20 May 2025, a Joint Letter of Urgent Appeal was issued regarding Mr. Tsi Conrad, a documentary filmmaker and human rights defender from Cameroon's Northwest Region, who was arrested in December 2016 while reporting on a demonstration, tried in a Military Court alongside two other journalists and four other detainees, and sentenced in 2018 to fifteen years in prison for "acts of terrorism, secession, spreading false information, revolution, insurrection, contempt for public bodies and officials, and hostility against the nation."