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Petty offences newsletter: Decongest prisons now! Criminal Justice

Petty offences newsletter: Decongest prisons now!

The COVID-19 pandemic has again highlighted the urgent need to decongest prisons throughout Africa. Although many countries have initiated decongestion measures, there is a simultaneous increase in arrests resulting from…

Staff Writer28 July 2020

SALC statement on arrest of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume Criminal JusticeZimbabwe

SALC statement on arrest of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume

The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) is deeply concerned about the clampdown on expression and peaceful assembly in Zimbabwe following the arrests of investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition leader…

Staff Writer27 July 2020

Urgent decongestion of prisons after COVID-19 cases registered in Chichiri and Mzimba prisons Criminal JusticeMalawi

Urgent decongestion of prisons after COVID-19 cases registered in Chichiri and Mzimba prisons

We the undersigned organizations reiterate our call for the immediate decongestion of prisons following two confirmed cases of COVID 19 in Mzimba and Chichiri Prison. On 14 July 2020, the…

Staff Writer17 July 2020

A new dawn for the protection of the rights of vulnerable communities with unregistered land in Zambia ArticlesSocio-Economic RightsSocio-Economic Rights ArticlesSocio-economic Rights Land RightsSocio-Economic Rights Land Rights ArticlesSocio-economic Rights NewsZambia

A new dawn for the protection of the rights of vulnerable communities with unregistered land in Zambia

Commonwealth Lawyers Association 26 June 2020 Brigadier Siachitema In a recent decision of the High Court for Zambia, a community of displaced Zambian villagers succeeded in a land dispute against…

Brigadier Siachitema7 July 2020

Malawi: Challenging criminalisation of adolescent sexuality Equality RightsEquality Rights Completed CasesEquality Rights HealthEquality Rights Health Completed CasesMalawi

Malawi: Challenging criminalisation of adolescent sexuality

SALC is working with Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (CHREAA) – Malawi in a challenge to the law of defilement in s138 of the Penal Code, insofar…

Staff Writer3 July 2020

Joint Letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers on the Killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu Criminal JusticeDR Congo

Joint Letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers on the Killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu

Civil Society Organisations wrote a letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers on the killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu. Here is the English version…

Staff Writer3 July 2020

Zimbabwe High court compels adherence to the constitution in chieftainship selection Equality RightsEquality Rights WomenSocio-Economic RightsSocio-economic Rights Land RightsZimbabwe

Zimbabwe High court compels adherence to the constitution in chieftainship selection

29 June 2020 – On 25 June 2020, the Bulawayo High Court, per Justice Takuva, issued a judgment in the case of Silibaziso Mlotshwa v District Administrator, Hwange N.O &…

Staff Writer29 June 2020

Good news as South Africa affirms its commitment to accountability for international crimes ArticlesInternational JusticeInternational Justice ArticlesInternational Justice NewsInternational Justice War CrimesInternational Justice War Crimes ArticlesSouth Africa

Good news as South Africa affirms its commitment to accountability for international crimes

The Daily Maverick 26 June 2020 Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh On 11 June, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to block the International Criminal Court (ICC) from action against US…

Staff Writer26 June 2020

Eswatini High Court postpones case on the refusal to register an LGBT advocacy group Equality RightsEquality Rights LGBTIQ+Equality Rights NewsMalawi

Eswatini High Court postpones case on the refusal to register an LGBT advocacy group

24 June 2020, Mbabane – Today, the Eswatini High Court was scheduled to hear arguments in the case of Simelane & Others versus Minister of Commerce and Industries & Others,…

Staff Writer25 June 2020

Joint Statement: Zambia: Authorities escalate attacks on dissent by denying youth leaders right to protest Civic Rights Association & AssemblyCivic Rights ExpressionZambia

Joint Statement: Zambia: Authorities escalate attacks on dissent by denying youth leaders right to protest

Zambian authorities have escalated their attacks on dissent by thwarting a planned anti-corruption protest leading to organisers streaming their protest from the outskirts of Lusaka. According to a coalition of…

Staff Writer24 June 2020

Eswatini High Court to hear case on the refusal to register an LGBT advocacy group Equality RightsEquality Rights LGBTIQ+Equality Rights NewsEswatini

Eswatini High Court to hear case on the refusal to register an LGBT advocacy group

22 June 2020, Mbabane – On 24 June 2020, the Eswatini High Court will hear arguments in the case of Simelane & Others versus Minister of Commerce and Industries &…

Staff Writer22 June 2020

Eswatini: Challenging the refusal to register an advocacy group Equality RightsEquality Rights Completed CasesEquality Rights LGBTIQ+Equality Rights LGBTIQ+ Completed CasesEswatini

Eswatini: Challenging the refusal to register an advocacy group

In September 2019, Eswatini’s Registrar of Companies refused to register the organisation Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM). The Registrar argued that ESGM’s purpose was unlawful because same-sex sexual acts…

Staff Writer22 June 2020

Are African nations putting policing over public health? ArticlesEquality RightsEquality Rights ArticlesEquality Rights HealthEquality Rights Health ArticlesEquality Rights NewsSADC

Are African nations putting policing over public health?

On 29 May 2020, SALC's intern, Nicholas Bugeja's article titled: Are African nations putting policing over public health? was published by The Lowy Institute. In the health and epidemiological challenges…

Nicholas Bugeja22 June 2020

In the lead-up to Malawi’s election ‘re-run’, its government is in free fall ArticlesCivic RightsCivic Rights ArticlesCivic Rights Democratic GovernanceCivic Rights Democratic Governance ArticlesCivic Rights NewsMalawi

In the lead-up to Malawi’s election ‘re-run’, its government is in free fall

On 17 June, SALC's intern, Nicholas Bugeja's article titled " In the lead-up to Malawi's election re-run, its Government is in free fall" was published in the Independant Australia In…

Nicholas Bugeja18 June 2020

Statement condemning the killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu Criminal JusticeDR Congo

Statement condemning the killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu

SALC is concerned by the targeting and killing of Judge Raphael Yanyi Ovungu, a member of the judiciary in the DRC. We are further concerned that the police initially wrongfully…

Staff Writer17 June 2020

African civil society call to the United States of America to change Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice NewsCriminal Justice Police AbuseSADC

African civil society call to the United States of America to change

In May 2020, over 1000 civil society organisations and individuals raised concerns around the structural and systemic inequality, racism, and injustice taking place in the United States. On 17 June…

Staff Writer17 June 2020

Joint statement on the threats against the independence of judges in Malawi Civic Rights Judicial IndependenceCivic Rights NewsMalawi

Joint statement on the threats against the independence of judges in Malawi

On 15 June 2020, civil society issued a joint statement calling upon Chief Justice Hon. Andrew Nyirenda and Hon. Judge Edward Twea to continue with their functions as judicial officers,…

Staff Writer15 June 2020

An analysis of Zimbabwe’s proposed constitutional amendments relating to the judiciary Civic RightsResearch Reports & Policy BriefsZimbabwe

An analysis of Zimbabwe’s proposed constitutional amendments relating to the judiciary

The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill, 2019 (‘the Amendment Bill’) was published in Zimbabwe’s Government Gazette on 31 December 2019. The Bill seeks to make changes to the…

Staff Writer10 June 2020

SALC’s open letter to Special Rapporteurs raising concerns over the human rights situation in Tanzania Civic Rights Association & AssemblyCivic Rights ExpressionTanzania

SALC’s open letter to Special Rapporteurs raising concerns over the human rights situation in Tanzania

On the 9 June 2020, SALC wrote letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and to the Special…

Staff Writer9 June 2020

SALC is concerned about the renewed reprisals in Zimbabwe following the arrests of opposition leaders and independent lawyers Criminal JusticeZimbabwe

SALC is concerned about the renewed reprisals in Zimbabwe following the arrests of opposition leaders and independent lawyers

The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested six Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC) officials on Friday, 5 June, after they allegedly attempted to enter their party headquarters, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House…

Staff Writer8 June 2020