154. On the other hand, being a former Speaker of the National Assembly,
special procedures must be observed to allow the exercise of the criminal
action against the Applicant as provided by the Organic Law n°2007-13 of
June 19, 2013, in its Article 10, which states that:
“Aucun ancien Président de l’Assemblée nationale ne peut être poursuivi ou
arrêté en raison des faits délictuels par lui commis qu’avec l’autorisation de
l’Assemblée nationale obtenue après délibération spéciale votée à la
majorité absolue des membres de l’Assemblée nationale”.
155. And further in its Article 11 which states that:
“Le procureur général près la Cour Suprême avisé des faits par tous
moyens, saisit le bureau de l’Assemblée nationale d’une requête en vue de
la convocation de l’Assemblée nationale aux fins de délibération sur
l’opportunité de la poursuite ou de l’arrestation de l’ancien Président de
l’Assemblée nationale”.
156. Therefore, in the instant case, the dual status enjoyed by the Applicant
(former speaker of the National Assembly and acting as Parliament Member)
required the verification of two conditions for criminal proceedings against
him: (1) the National Assembly's deliberation on the appropriateness of
prosecution (or arrest) and (2) the waiver of parliamentary immunity.
157. The Court notes that the waiver of the Applicant's immunity was
submitted and obtained in accordance with the provisions of Article 79 Rules
of Procedure of the Togolese National Assembly and that the National
Assembly’s deliberation on the appropriateness of instituting proceedings
against the Applicant is shown to be in accordance with Article 11 of the
aforementioned Organic Law No. 2007-13 of June 19, 2013.
158. On the other hand, the cited Articles 10 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and 14(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and
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