Linklaters Proud to Support Adoption of First African Instrument to End Enforced Disappearances in Africa

Linklaters welcomes the adoption of the first African instrument aimed at eradicating and preventing enforced disappearances and improving the situation of victims.

Having initially assisted in drafting a technical paper outlining the extent to which enforced disappearances in Africa were occurring, a team of Linklaters lawyers supported several international human rights NGOs to draft pan-African guidelines on enforced disappearances (‘the Guidelines’), in a bid to raise awareness of and strengthen the framework around enforced disappearances on the continent.

The new Guidelines are intended to reinforce existing international treaties and instruments and encourage African Union Member States to ratify them as a positive measure to prevent enforced disappearances.

The Guidelines were developed in collaboration between the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, REDRESS, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, Lawyers for Justice in Libya, MENA Rights and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Following a drafting process lasting from August 2020 through to May 2022, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Africa’s main human rights body, has now finally announced the adoption of the Guidelines for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in Africa in May 2022, at its 71st Ordinary Session in Banjul, The Gambia.

Working closely with Linklaters’ dedicated pro bono team, the Linklaters lawyers involved in the project included: Satindar Dogra, Partner, Charalampos Dimoulis, Managing Associate, Liberty Brown, Associate, and Emma Kate Cooney, Associate.

Alejandra Vicente, Head of Law at REDRESS, said:

“While African states are obliged to prevent and protect against enforced disappearances, and to bring any perpetrators to justice, this crime continues to be committed with impunity in Africa. We welcome this significant step by the African Commission to confront this crime, and urge this body to publish the guidelines promptly, so they can assist African states in meeting their obligations to tackle this particularly cruel human rights abuse.”

Satindar Dogra, Dispute Resolution Partner at Linklaters, commented:

“It was a privilege to be able to lend our expertise and resources on this important project. Following two years of hard work and dedication from the Team, our hope is that the Guidelines will have a concerted positive impact on the recognition and confrontation of the widespread use of enforced disappearances across the continent.”

Find out more about the project here.