ri"f,1 ACH PR
' ·
African Commission on
Human Rights our
Human ancl Peoples' Rights
Collective Responsibility
under Article 6 of the African Charter. They emphasize that States must ensure
that no one is subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. Any arrest, detention,
or imprisonment act should strictly adhere to the provisions of the law and be
carried out by competent officials or authorized individuals based on a
warrant, reasonable suspicion, or probable cause. These Guidelines highlight
the need to adhere to legal safeguards and procedures to safeguard individuals'
rights and liberty.
142.
This signifies that the security personnel in the Respondent State are
obligated to abstain from conducting arrests, detentions, or imprisonments in
a manner that disregards the principles of due process or lacks legal
justification. In the Article 19 Case context, the Commission noted that even if
arrests and detentions are deemed lawful under domestic legislation, they can
still be regarded as arbitrary and thus unlawful if they are inappropriate,
unreasonable, unjustified, or unpredictable. 45
Based on the arguments presented and the applicable jurisprudence of
143.
the Commission, it is evident that the Complainant's arrest and subsequent
detention by NISS officers raise serious concerns regarding the violation of his
right to liberty and due process. The allegations put forth by the Complainant,
including the use of physical violence, insults, and the absence of criminal
charges, strongly suggest a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions.
Furthermore, the absence of any prima facie evidence or reasonable
144.
suspicion to justify the prolonged detention of the Complainant further
undermines the legitimacy of his arrest and confinement. The lack of
transparency and legal justification for his continued deprivation of liberty for
71 to 78 days raises questions about the adherence to fundamental principles
of justice and the rule of law. Moreover, the Complainant rightly emphasizes
that his perceived opposition to the regime should not serve as a basis for his
arrest and detention without due process. Such actions, coupled with how he
was apprehended and held, highlight the unjust and inappropriate nature of
the situation, which is fundamentally incompatible with the principle of due
process.
145.
Drawing from the Commission's established jurisprudence, it is clear
that the arbitrary arrest and detention of individuals without r
justifications or in violation of their right to a fair trial constitute
Article 6 of the African Charter. The principles and guidelines o
45 Ibid 1 1 , para 98
33
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