African Court holds 3rd training for lawyers of indigent applicants

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) has conducted training for 50 lawyers registered with it to represent indigent applicants before the court. The three-day training held between August 5 and 7, 2019, was at the seat of the court in Arusha, Tanzania. The President of AfCHPR, Hon. Justice Sylvain Oré, said the […]

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) has conducted training for 50 lawyers registered with it to represent indigent applicants before the court.

The three-day training held between August 5 and 7, 2019, was at the seat of the court in Arusha, Tanzania.

The President of AfCHPR, Hon. Justice Sylvain Oré, said the training was aimed at equipping the lawyers with the court’s judicial aspects, and also update them on the legal aid scheme.

Currently, over 100 African lawyers have registered with the court to represent indigent applicants.

The Registrar AfCHPR, Dr. Robert Eno, said this was the third training conducted by the court. The first was held in August, 2017, where over 40 lawyers attended.

Dr. Eno said, “The AfCHPR was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights with a view to enhancing the protection of human rights on the continent.”

The court is composed of 11 judges, nationals of member states of the African Union (AU) elected in their individual capacities.

The court meets four times a year for ordinary sessions and may hold extra-ordinary sessions.

As at July 20, 2019, the court had received 220 applications, of which 62 have been finalised.