Africa is unfortunately being labeled as a continent plagued by human rights violations, as Amnesty International points fingers at several countries for their atrocities.
The violations include extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment, as well as restrictions on freedom of association and assembly, and gender-based violence.
In its latest report titled “State of the World’s Human Rights,” Amnesty International highlights that African governments have largely turned a blind eye to addressing impunity, which has allowed it to thrive, perpetuating a cycle of violations, abuses, and disregard for the rule of law.
Countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Kenya have all been implicated in official human rights abuses.
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Specific instances in these countries include the Eritrean Defence Forces, sexual violence in the DRC and Mali targeting women and girls, and the repression of dissent and freedom of assembly in Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, and Somalia, amidst conflict-related abuses.
Security forces in many cases have resorted to using excessive force to disperse protests, resulting in the deaths and injuries of scores of protesters and bystanders in countries like Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Burundi.
In Sudan, there have been targeted attacks, particularly in West Darfur, leading to the loss of civilian lives and instances of rape, extrajudicial killings, and slavery in areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Reports of enforced disappearances, primarily targeting political opponents, persist in Burundi, with the National Intelligence Service and members of the ruling party’s youth wing, the Imbonerakure, being the main alleged perpetrators.
In Eritrea, the fate and whereabouts of 11 members of the G-15, a group of 15 senior politicians who publicly criticized the president in 2001, remain unknown, along with those of 16 journalists accused of being associated with the G-15.
The report urges African governments to cease the harassment and intimidation of journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and opposition members and leaders. It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of arbitrarily detained individuals and emphasizes the importance of upholding media freedom by allowing independent media outlets to operate without interference.
“The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF have shown little regard for international humanitarian law, engaging in targeted and indiscriminate attacks that have resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians. Additionally, they have launched explosive weapons from densely populated areas, causing the deaths of 12,000 people in 2023,” states the report.
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The ongoing conflict has triggered the largest displacement crisis globally, forcing over 8 million people to flee. With no immediate resolution in sight, the hunger crisis in Sudan is on the verge of escalating into a famine.
Soldiers of the Eritrean Defence Forces held at least 15 women captive for nearly three months at a military camp in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, subjecting them to repeated acts of sexual violence.
The Ethiopian government imposed a six-month nationwide state of emergency following armed clashes between the army and the Fano militia in the Amhara region. This situation led to the arbitrary detention of hundreds of individuals who were denied access to legal representation and due process.
In Burundi, reports of enforced disappearances, mostly targeting political opponents, persist, with the National Intelligence Service and members of the ruling party’s youth wing, the Imbonerakure, being the main alleged perpetrators.
In Eritrea, the fate and whereabouts of 11 members of the G-15, a group of 15 senior politicians who publicly criticized the president in 2001, remain unknown, along with those of 16 journalists accused of being associated with the G-15.
The report concludes by urging African governments to put an end to the harassment and intimidation of journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and opposition members and leaders. It emphasizes the importance of immediately and unconditionally releasing arbitrarily detained individuals and ensuring media freedom is respected by allowing independent media outlets to operate freely.