South Africa’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Tuesday made a monumental move in the attainment of justice for apartheid-era victims. In a revised indictment for the COSAS FOUR case, the DPP included apartheid as a crime against humanity for the first time. The United Nations General Assembly declared apartheid a crime against humanity in 1966.  The Apartheid [...]

The Constitutional Court of South Africa sentenced Jacob Zuma, former President of South Africa, to 15 months’ imprisonment on Tuesday after the Court found him guilty of contempt of court. Zuma’s conviction followed his failure to comply with orders to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in [...]

The African Union (AU) on Tuesday suspended Mali from the organization, following the military coup that occurred last week and threatened sanctions if the country fails to restore a civilian government. The military coup, led by Assimi Goïta, resulted in the ouster of president Bah Ndaw. Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned amid pressure, [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday said that Cameroonian security forces, in a crackdown on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, have threatened, arrested, and assaulted at least 24 since February. Among the arrested persons, at least one has been subjected to HIV testing and anal examination. Both the Cameroonian Penal Code and the Law [...]

A European Union court ruled Thursday that the UK was in breach of the bloc’s air pollution limit by failing to fulfil its obligations under the combined provisions of Article 13(1) and of Annex XI to Directive No 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday stressed the need for an independent and objective assessment of reports of serious human rights violations in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The UN Human Rights Office received reports of the killing of eight protesters by security forces in Adigrat, Mekelle, Shire and Wukro, in [...]

Rwanda’s High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes on Friday ruled that it has jurisdiction to try Paul Rusesabagina, whose actions inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda,” on the charges of terrorism financing, armed robbery, abduction, arson, attempted murder, assault, and battery. During the 1994 genocide, Rusesabagina used his connections and position as hotel manager [...]

The Sudanese government approved the ratification Tuesday of key international treaties which ban torture and enforced disappearance. The Sudanese Minister of Justice, Dr Nasredeen Abdulbari, announced on Twitter that the Sovereignty Council of Sudan had approved draft laws to join the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) [...]

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Thursday pardoned 26 men who had been convicted of plotting the 2001 assassination of then-President Laurent Kabila. Former President Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards who took his own life shortly after. Prosecutors in the case stated that Kabila’s closest advisor, Colonel Eddy [...]

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal, STF) decided Thursday that it is constitutional for the State to order compulsory vaccination against COVID-19. The State cannot forcibly immunize its citizens. But fines, bars on attending certain places and on enrollment in school may be imposed upon vaccination refusal. Brazil has been one of the nations [...]