,(~~H·t
'\
AC
H
P
R
, '. J
(lJ"HW".
African Commission on
Human and Peoples' Rights
Human Rights our
Collective Responsibility
responsibility for the violations of Article 4. As such, the Commission finds that
the Respondent State violated the provision of Article 4 of the African Charter.
Alleged violation of Article 5 of the African Charter
118. The Complainants alleged that the Respondent State is responsible for torture
and ill-treatment committed by its various forces in violation of Article 5.
119.
Article 5 of the African Charter provides that:
Even; individual shall have the right to the respect 0Lthe dignity inherent in a human
being and to the recognition of his legal status."All forms 'Of exploitation and
degradation of man particularly slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman or
degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.
A basic interpretation of the text shows that Article 5 of the African Charter not
only guarantees respect for the dignity inherent in the human person but also
guarantees the recognition of his or her legal status. It further prohibits all forms
of exploitation and degradation of man or woman, including slavery, slave trade
and torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading JJ,unishment and treatment.
120.
This implies that Article 5 of the African Charter permits no restrictions or
limitations on the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading
punishment or treatment. In the Article 19 case,36the Commission held that the
right to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, cannot
be derogated from for any reason, in whatever circumstances.
121.
The Commission, in Mouvement Burkinabe des Oroits de l'Homme et des Peuples v
Burkina Faso (Mouvement Burkinabe case),37noted that any act resulting in the forced
disappearance of a person prevents the victim from the protection of the law and
causes immense suffering to that person and his or her family.38In this case, the
Complainants submitted that the enforced disappearance of individuals in South
Kordofan and Blue Nile constitute a violation of Article 5, both of the right of the
person forcibly disappeared and the right of his or her family members to be free
from torture or inhuman and degrading treatment.
122.
The Commission also notes that the enforced disappearance of identified and
unidentified individuals in South Kordofan and Blue Nile constitute a violation of
123.
24
An Org<)rI of the
Afriqan (' ~~
Union ",,:j