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Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa - Report of the Secretary-General (A/72/518)

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Summary

The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 70/167 and outlines the work and achievements of the Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa from 1 August 2015 to 31 July 2017. The report also describes the particular challenges facing the Centre and opportunities for further engagement in the subregion.

I. Introduction

1. The Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa was established in 2001 at the request of the member States of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), pursuant to a resolution adopted by the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa at its fourth meeting, held in Yaoundé in April 1994, and resolutions 53/78 A and 54/55 A of the General Assembly.

2. The Centre also operates as the regional office for Central Africa of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), covering 10 member States of ECCAS (Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe). In accordance with its mandate, the Centre works for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy through advocacy, dialogue and the provision of technical assistance and advisory services to Governments, parliaments, United Nations country teams, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, the media and other partners.

3. The present report focuses on the activities and achievements of the Centre in Cameroon, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. The type of field presence of OHCHR in other countries of the subregion varies, as does its reporting mandates: there is a human rights component in the peace missions in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; human rights advisers are present in Rwanda and Chad; and there is a country office in Burundi. The report does not describe the major political, peace and security developments in Central Africa, which are covered elsewhere (see S/2017/465). In addition, the human rights situation in some countries of the subregion is addressed in reports prepared by the human rights components of the peace missions, the human rights advisers and the country office.

II. Main human rights developments in the subregion

4. Two countries of the subregion, Cameroon and Chad, continued to be affected to varying degrees by the Boko Haram insurgency that has prevailed in the Lake Chad Basin area since 2013. Despite the significant progress made by the countries concerned in the fight against the insurgency, the population has continued to suffer under the attacks of Boko Haram and related counterinsurgency measures. A range of fundamental human rights and freedoms have been infringed in that context, notably the rights to life and security of the person; to freedom of expression and opinion, association, peaceful assembly and religion; and to adequate housing, food and education.

5. The Centre continued to advocate that counterterrorism measures must comply with international human rights norms. While a moratorium on the death penalty had been observed for more than two decades in Cameroon and Chad, their anti-terrorism legislation, adopted in 2014 and 2015, respectively, includes the death penalty for the perpetrators of terrorist acts. In July 2015, the suspected perpetrators of the terrorist attacks carried out in N’Djamena in June 2015 were executed following a speedy trial and before the period of time allowed for the exercise of the right to appeal had elapsed, which may have amounted to a violation of fair trial guarantees. In general, however, the trial proceedings involving suspects of terrorism remained slow in both countries.

6. During the period under review, the human rights situation in the five countries that are the focus of the present report was affected by the presidential elections held in several countries. While elections were held in a relatively peaceful environment in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, the elections held in Chad, the Congo and Gabon were marked by disputed results and post-election violence, which led to human rights violations in the last two countries. In addition, the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression, particularly for trade unions and human rights organizations, and freedom of association and peaceful assembly were hindered in the context of the electoral processes in Chad, the Congo and Gabon; for example, Internet services were interrupted and social media were blocked by the authorities during the electoral periods. In some cases, freedom of movement was restrained by measures taken by the authorities to deal with the post-election violence. While some countries expressed a commitment to improving the political participation of women and other groups that typically face discrimination in political life, no concrete measures were taken in that regard in terms of legislation or policies.

7. In the English-speaking north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon, protests by lawyers and teachers denouncing alleged marginalization and the attempted erosion of the common law system and of the education system were at times met with heavy-handed responses by security forces, including alleged serious human rights violations. Since the crisis broke out in October and November 2016, courts and many schools have remained closed in the two regions. In December 2016, the crisis degenerated and calls for protests, including cases of civil disobedience, and strikes by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium were largely followed by the population of the two regions. In an attempt to contain the protests, the Government banned the Consortium and all other associated groups, including those calling for secession, and cut off Internet access in the two regions for nearly three months. Some leaders of the protests were arrested and put on trial at the military court of Yaoundé under the anti-terrorism law of 2014, while others went into hiding or fled the country. Concerns about the trial of civilians by a military court have been raised by OHCHR, other United Nations system entities and special procedures of the Human Rights Council through letters and urgent appeals to the Government of Cameroon and public statements.

8. On 30 August, the President ordered the release of the detained leaders and members of the Anglophone community. In a statement issued the same day, the Secretary-General welcomed the decision, expressing the hope that this step would lead to a further lowering of tensions and the strengthening of political dialogue. He also encouraged the authorities to pursue their efforts to address the grievances of the Anglophone community and promote measures of national reconciliation to find a durable solution to the crisis. The Secretary-General reiterated the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support such efforts.