The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has opened its 69th Ordinary Session, from June 12 to July 7, to deliver at least five judgements in Arusha, in the United Republic of Tanzania.

Meanwhile, the African Court has delivered nine decisions since the opening of its four-week session. It includes application 039/2020, the Legal and Human Rights Centre, and the Human Rights and Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition against the United Republic of Tanzania.

Others are Application 024/2020, – Conoïde Togla Latondji Akouedenoudje v. Republic of Benin; Application 011/2020, Bob Chacha Wangwe and Legal and Human Rights Centre v. Tanzania; Application 003/2019, Thomas Mgira v. Tanzania; and Application 058/2016, Niyonzima Augustine v. Tanzania.

The rest are Application 032/2016, Hoja Mwendesha v. Tanzania; Application 031/2016, Umalo Mussa v. Tanzania; Application 028/2016, Shija Juma v. Tanzania; Application 007/2016, Matoke Mwita, and another v. Tanzania.

Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, the President of the African Court, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that all eleven judges of the Court would be involved in the four-week session.

She explained that the African Continental Court, based in Arusha, Tanzania, met four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold Extra-Ordinary sessions.

Lady Justice Aboud recounted that the Court was established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and people’s rights, which complemented and reinforced the functions of the continent’s Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

She explained that its contentious jurisdiction applied to all cases and disputes submitted to it in respect of the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Charter), the Protocol, and any other relevant human rights instrument ratified by the States concerned.

The African Court may serve as an advisory body at the request of a Member State of the African Union (AU), the AU, any of its organs, or any African organisation recognised by the AU.

It gives an opinion on any other legal matter relating to the Charter or any other relevant human rights instruments, provided that the subject matter of the opinion is not related to a matter being examined by the Commission.