OMCT Handbook Series vol.3

The Prohibition of Torture and Ill-Treatment in the African Human Rights System: A Handbook for Victims and their Advocates

by Frans Viljoen & Chidi Odinkalu, Preface by Adama Dieng, Registrar, ICTR / November 2006 / 2-88477-117-4 / pp. 163

The Book

This Handbook aims to provide a general introduction to the African human rights system, with a specific focus on the potential and challenges of this system to deal with the pervasive problem of torture. It sets out the African Union’s institutional framework within which the African regional system functions and gives a basic introduction to the main AU human rights treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and its implementing body the African Commission.

The Comission's communications procedure is discussed in detail as is its jurisprudence on Article 5 of the African Charter. The promotional mandate of the Commission is also covered in so far as it is relevant to issues of torture and ill-treatment, adressing inter alia the role of NGOs, the significance of the Commission’s public sessions, the adoption of resolutions, State reporting and the Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Conditions of Detention in Africa. The appendices contain useful reference materials including the relevant African regional instruments and sample pleadings before the African Commission in a real case. The target audience of this publication is, generally, anyone concerned about torture in Africa and, specifically, civil society organisations and NGOs. With this audience in mind, the last part of this publication provides some conclusions and recommendations to NGOs concerned about torture in Africa.

This Practitioner’s Handbook is a publication of OMCT’s State Compliance Programme. This book is Available in English, français & العربية

To download the entire handbook please click here

Download individual chapters (PDF documents):

• TABLE OF CONTENTS, Note to Readers, Acknowledgements, Preface by Adama Dieng, Table of Cases, Introduction
• Part A: Background to the African Regional Human Rights System
• Part B: Substantive Norms on Torture in the African Regional HumanRights System
• Part C: Protection against Torture: Procedures before the AfricanCommission and African Human Rights Court
• Part D: Torture in the Promotional Mandate of the African Commission
• Conclusion, Bibliography and Further Reading
• Appendices

Material from OMCT’s Handbook Series may be reproduced for educational, training, advocacy and other non-commercial purposes as long as OMCT is fully acknowledged and the volume in question appropriately cited. No part of the Handbook Series may be reproduced for any commercial purpose.