SUB REGIONAL UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF DEMOCRACY, RULE OF LAW, AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE  EAST AND HORN OF AFRICA

DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) welcomes the opportunity offered by the NGO Forum preceeding the 83^rd ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to provide an update on the status of democracy, rule of law and human rights in East and Horn of Africaa over the last six months for the period October 2024 to May 2025.

During the reporting period, the sub region experienced escalating conflict, mounting political tensions, and a continued assault on civic space. Ongoing armed conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia resulted in widespread human rights violations, mass displacement, and deepening humanitarian crises. In the lead-up to elections in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda, authorities intensified repression of political opposition. Opposition figures were surveilled, harassed, and in some cases charged with treason—widely viewed as a politically motivated tactic to silence dissent. Across the region, there was a disturbing increase in enforced disappearances, unlawful killings, and other patterns of repression targeting critics of the government. The broader trend of shrinking civic space continued, marked by sustained attacks on press freedom and civil society. Governments across the region use legal and extrajudicial means to restrict fundamental freedoms, including arrests of journalists, media shutdowns, and curbs on peaceful assembly. The statement therefore underscores a pervasive and coordinated effort to stifle dissent and weaken democracy, rule of law and enjoyment of human rights illustrated in the brief country updates.

Burundi’s human rights situation continues to deteriorate amid widespread impunity, with the country entering a tense electoral period ahead of the 2025 legislative and 2027 presidential elections. Authorities have intensified repression, with reports of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Fundamental freedoms remain severely restricted, including the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, assembly, and association. Hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric, including from top political figures, have surged, fueling tensions. Civic space faces mounting pressure, with ongoing attacks on journalists and political opposition members, for example the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has disqualified opposition candidates from the Burundi Bwa Bose coalition.

Djibouti’s civic space is severely restricted, and is currently classified as “closed” by the Civicus Monitor. This means there are significant restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of association, and access to information, particularly for civil society organisations (CSOs) and Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). The democratic and civic space remains completely closed, with public gatherings being a rare occurrence and online spaces, including Facebook, being the only relatively open spaces to express and share views critical of the authorities.

Eritrea remains under the authoritarian rule of President Isaias Afwerki, with civic space among the most restricted globally. The government continues to suppress fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, opinion, and movement. In its 2024 report, the Committee to Protect Journalists  (CPJ) ranked Eritrea as the largest jailer of journalists in sub-Saharan Africa. Amid rising regional tensions, the authorities have intensified internal control measures, issuing directives for mass military mobilisation and restricting the right to leave the country for citizens under 50.

The human rights situation in Ethiopia remains grave, with government forces, militias, and armed groups committing widespread abuses, particularly in the Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions. In Amhara, fighting between federal forces and Fano militias has led to mass arrests of ethnic Amharas, civilian deaths, and the destruction of healthcare facilities, amounting to possible war crimes. Oromia and Tigray remain unstable. Civic space continues to shrink amid smear campaigns, harassment, and the forced exile of HRDs and journalists. Although the suspension of key rights organisations was lifted in March 2025, restrictions on freedom of expression and association persist. Accountability remains elusive, with little progress on the transitional justice process or the implementation of the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. Meanwhile, tensions with Eritrea are rising, raising fears of renewed regional conflict.

Kenya’s human rights situation deteriorated significantly over the past year. In December 2024, CIVICUS downgraded the country’s civic space rating from “Obstructed” to “Repressed”, following a violent crackdown on anti-Finance Bill protests where police used excessive force, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. Since June 2024, enforced disappearances and abductions targeting government critics have surged, while extrajudicial killings remain a serious concern. Journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors faced harassment and intimidation. The government also escalated efforts to control digital spaces under the guise of curbing disinformation, though these measures appear aimed at stifling dissent and restricting online political expression. Additionally, the abductions of Ugandan opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai raised alarm over Kenya’s role in cross-border violations. The year also recorded the country’s highest number of femicides, exposing deep-rooted gender-based violence (GBV).

Rwanda’s human rights record remains concerning. The government continues to suppress dissent and severely restrict civic space. Regionally, Rwanda’s escalating tensions with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have fueled a worsening security and humanitarian crisis. The UN General Assembly, the African Union (AU), and foreign partners have condemned the situation and urged restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation. In response to Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the conflict, international actors have imposed targeted sanctions on Rwandan individuals and entities and suspended aspects of economic and trade cooperation. The diplomatic fallout with Belgium, historically a key bilateral partner and major donor to Rwandan civil society, poses a significant threat to the financial sustainability of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), compounding the already shrinking civic space and placing further pressure on HRDs.

Somalia (together with Somaliland)

Somalia faces a complex humanitarian crisis worsened by prolonged drought, conflict, and political instability. On 10 March 2025, a bomb attack targeting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud highlighted ongoing insecurity and the threat from non-state armed group, Al-Shabaab. The right to freedom of opinion and expression remains severely limited as a result of actions by both state (including the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA)) and non-state actors. Somalia continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Journalists face arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and violence at the hands of both security forces and armed groups. There is an increasing trend of police officers detaining journalists, deleting their footage, and obstructing their work, particularly during coverage of protests or security operations. In a further restriction, Minister of Information Daud Aweys banned reporting on security incidents in Mogadishu, deepening censorship and limiting public access to information.

South Sudan is on the verge of renewed large-scale conflict, with heavy fighting in Upper Nile and Western Equatoria states and rising political tensions in Juba threatening to unravel the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). The government’s decision to extend the transitional period and delay the country’s first national elections to at least December 2026 has further eroded public trust. The National Security Service (NSS) continues to arbitrarily detain dozens of real or perceived government critics and civil society actors, despite the recent release of 16 detainees. The 16 detainees included nine military personnel from various organised forces and seven civilians, among them activists Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak and Michael Wetnhialic. Authorities briefly imposed a blanket ban on social media, violating rights to freedom of expression, information, association, and peaceful assembly. Widespread human rights abuses persist, including sexual violence, ethnically motivated attacks, extrajudicial killings, and economic exploitation, fueled by deep-rooted impunity amid worsening insecurity, displacement, and humanitarian crises.

Two years into the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Sudan remains engulfed in a devastating human rights and humanitarian crisis. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence, with repeated attacks on populated areas, health facilities, schools, and internally displaced person (IDP) camps. Widespread conflict-related sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and ethnically targeted killings have been reported, while civic space has collapsed under a surge of attacks on journalists and HRDs. At least 12 journalists have been killed, and dozens arbitrarily detained. The conflict has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis, with approximately 30.4 million people, including 16 million children, now requiring humanitarian assistance. With famine-like conditions in multiple regions and access to aid severely restricted, the destruction of health infrastructure and disruption of essential services have further intensified the suffering. As the SAF regains control of Khartoum and the RSF consolidates power in Darfur, the risk of prolonged violence remains high.

In the reporting period, Tanzania faced significant human rights challenges ahead of the 2025 elections. The political space narrowed further as security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained opposition figures, with alarming reports of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of political activists during campaign rallies. In a significant blow to democratic participation, the Independent National Elections Commission (INEC) disqualified the main opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), from contesting the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, citing procedural technicalities related to a code of conduct agreement. The party’s disqualification, the arrest and filing of a treason case against its leader, Tundu Lissu, add to growing concerns over the erosion of democratic institutions and electoral integrity in the country. The government continues to restrict freedom of expression, with individuals facing censorship, arrests, and prosecution under the Cybercrimes Act for publicly criticising state actions. Social media platforms are scrutinised, with selective blocking and monitoring reported during politically sensitive periods.

Uganda experienced escalating human rights violations marked by a systematic crackdown on journalists, environmental HRDs , and political opposition. Security forces repeatedly targeted media professionals reporting on electoral processes, subjecting them to beatings, arbitrary detention, and destruction of their equipment in an apparent effort to suppress independent coverage and stifle public access to information. These targeted assaults represent an obvious attempt to intimidate the press and violate Uganda’s obligations under international human rights law, including the right to freedom of expression. Authorities also intensified pressure on political opposition figures and supporters through abductions, raids, and surveillance, with opposition parties denouncing these acts as calculated violations of the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. Environmental activists, especially those protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, continued to face arrests and intimidation, further shrinking civic space and silencing voices critical of harmful development projects.

Recommendations

·       Urge all states parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to protect HRDs, by strictly adhering to the provisions of the Charter and other international and regional instruments to which they are parties, as well as the United Nations Declaration on HRDs.

·       Call on governments to end the excessive use of force, including tear gas, bullets, and arrests, during peaceful protests and ensure law enforcement officers adhere to international standards on the use of force and firearms, to ensure the safety and rights of demonstrators.

·       Urge all countries to strengthen monitoring and accountability mechanisms to address human rights violations, foster a culture where perpetrators are held accountable for their actions especially in election processes.

·       Urge all governments to cease the intimidation and harassment of opposition figures, allow them to freely express their views and participate in political processes without fear of reprisal.

·       Call on the governments of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda to immediately end abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings by security and intelligence agencies, and to ensure independent investigations, prosecution of perpetrators, and access to justice and reparations for victims and their families.

·       Call on the Ethiopian government to end all restrictions on civil society organisations, including surveillance, harassment and to ensure these organisations can operate freely.

·       Urge all countries to protect freedom of expression, end the arrests and intimidation of journalists and HRDs, enact laws that guarantee their rights to report and advocate freely to ensure transparency and accountability.

·       Call on the government of Somalia to uphold press freedom by allowing journalists to report freely and safely on issues of insecurity, conflict, and governance, and to end the harassment, arbitrary arrests, and censorship of media professionals in line with regional and international human rights standards.

·       Call on the government of Tanzania to respect the rights of indigenous populations in Ngorongoro, end the forced relocation of Maasai communities and restore their access to essential services and cultural sites.

·       Call on all parties to the conflict in Sudan to end the long-standing conflict.

·       Urge all parties to the conflict in Sudan to grant immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian aid across the country, especially in conflict-affected areas, to address the urgent needs of millions facing hunger and impending famine.

·       Call on the Joint Fact-Finding Mission into the human rights situation in Sudan established as per ACHPR Resolution 590 to ensure the complementarity of its efforts with those of other actors, in particular the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Fact-Finding Mission established by the UN Human Rights Council, and other appropriate regional and international entities.

·       Call on the government of Eritrea and Djibouti to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society to flourish and protect the rights of all individuals to freely express their opinions.

·       Call on the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea to exercise restraint, prioritize dialogue, and resolve disputes through peaceful and diplomatic means, in order to prevent the escalation of tensions into armed conflict and to safeguard regional peace, security, and the rights of affected populations.

Call on the government of Rwanda to engage in constructive dialogue with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and regional actors to find a peaceful resolution to ongoing conflict..

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83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Observer Status No. 359

Honorable Chairperson,

Distinguished Commissioners,

State Delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders are concerned about the rise of systemic human rights violations across the continent and call on the African Commission to take a more proactive role in addressing these pressing issues. 

Currently, various conflict-related threats are exacerbating human rights violations. Countries like Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, and Cameroon are facing unresolved conflicts, while the Sahel region, particularly Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is experiencing a significant decline in security and human rights.

In these countries, HRDs are increasingly targeted by military regimes that gain power through populist strategies aimed at dismantling democratic institutions and suppressing dissent. These regimes often mischaracterize human rights advocacy as neocolonial interference or foreign agendas, using this narrative to justify crackdowns on civil society. There has been no accountability for these actions. HRDs face abduction, forced conscription, and an atmosphere of fear, leading many to go into exile or engage in self-censorship.

Furthermore, Hon Chairperson,

A troubling pattern of increased human rights violations characterises electoral periods. For instance, in Mozambique, which has been grappling with a significant political crisis following the October 2024 elections, widespread protests in response to allegations of electoral manipulation have been met with a brutal crackdown, with over 500 fatalities, 2,000 injuries, and 1’500 arbitrary detentions, with only half of the detainees released.

While noting that Gabon has conducted peaceful elections, the situation in Mozambique raises alarm as elections approach in other countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Tanzania, Cote d’ Ivoire,Uganda, and South Sudan, where tensions are already escalating.

In these contexts, civil society faces heightened repression, characterized by the emergence of repressive laws and policies that target political activists, pro-democracy movements, and social movements, particularly during peaceful protests, leading to severe repercussions. It is critical for the international community to closely monitor these trends and advocate for the protection of human rights in Africa.

In North Africa, particularly Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, there is a severe crackdown on migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa. This repression includes hate speech, torture, arbitrary arrests, inhumane detention conditions, and criminalisation of migrants’ rights defenders.

Security campaigns are targeting international organizations and local NGOs that aid migrants. In Libya, for example, ten organizations have been forcibly dissolved, and their employees face harassment, investigations, and confiscation of passports, severely impacting migrant and refugee populations.

These actions highlight the challenges facing civil society in Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, where operational constraints are intensifying.

We urge the Commission to address the detention of Sherifa Sherifa Riahi, a member of the AfricanDefenders Steering Committee and former director of Tunisie Terre d’Asile. She is separated from her two-month-old infant and charged with terrorism, reflecting a broader trend affecting activists in Tunisia advocating for migrant rights.

We thank you and wish you fruitful deliberations.