The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, cordially invites you to a panel discussion on the topic: Considering the implications of Rwanda’s withdrawal of the right of individual access to the African Human Rights Court.

• Click here to downlad the invitation in PDF

Date: Friday 11 March 2016
Time: 12:00 to 13:30
Venue: Moot Court Room, Ground floor, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria
Event: ‘Brown Bag’ event - a light lunch will be provided to participants during the discussion.

On Friday 11 March the Centre for Human Rights brings together a panel to discuss the legal and political implications of this step. The following brief presentations will be followed by a general discussion:

• PROF FRANS VILJOEN
  (Director, Centre for Human Rights)
  Prof Viljoen will place this development in a broader international law context.
• PROF DIRE TLADI
  (Professor, Faculty of Law; Member of the International Law Commission)
  Prof Tladi will set out the relevant international law principles applicable to denunciation and withdrawal of treaties, as they apply in this instance.
• PROF MICHELO HANSUNGULE
  (Professor, Centre for Human Rights)
  Prof Hansunugule represents some of the applicants and will give an overview of and context to the cases against Rwanda pending before the Court.

About the Panel Discussion

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Human Rights Court) was established in 2006, ten years ago this year. As at the start of 2016, 30 states have accepted the Court’s jurisdiction by ratifying the Protocol on the Establishment of the Court. Seven states – including Rwanda – have made declarations under article 34(6) of the Protocol, accepting the right of individual petition directly to the African Human Rights Court.

As at March 2016, six cases have been submitted against Rwanda: Appl.No 003/2014, Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza v Rwanda; Appl.No 003/2013, Rutabingwa Chrysanthe v Rwanda (see also Appl.No 022/2015, Rutabingwa Chrisanthe v Rwanda); Appl.No 002/2014, Faustin Uwintije v Rwanda; Appl.No 016/2015, Kayumba Nyamwassa & others v Republic of Rwanda; Appl.No 017/2015, Kennedy Gihana & others v Rwanda; Appl.No 023/2015, Laurent Munyandilikirwa v Rwanda). The Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza case has been scheduled for hearing at the Court’s present session. Rwanda has now apparently withdrawn its declaration under article 34(6).