Human rights

Some conspiracy enthusiasts posit that mpox was engineered by a shadowy elite aiming to reduce populations and reap profits for "big pharma." According to these theories, individuals who get vaccinated against mpox are doomed to suffer from heart attacks and a host of other grave illnesses. As highlighted by Helen McCarthy in The Conversation Africa, these conspiracies often focus on the LGBTQ+ community, casting suspicion and fear upon them. Misinformation about mpox is blooming, reminiscent of the early stages of the…

The government of Burkina Faso is sharpening its focus on a nationalistic approach to news and information dissemination, as noted by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Recently, the Superior Council for Communication (CSC), which oversees media regulations in Burkina Faso, imposed a ban on the rebroadcast of foreign radio programs effective immediately. This decision follows a three-month suspension of the Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts in the country. This move highlights a growing trend in which the government seeks…

On September 27, tragic news emerged from Kaduna State, Nigeria, where a military airstrike aimed at combating notorious criminal gangs, widely referred to as bandits, resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries among innocent civilians. This grim incident has been reported by various media outlets, with Human Rights Watch highlighting the humanitarian crisis unfolding. Calls for accountability, unwavering justice, and increased transparency have echoed through the community, yet the echoes seem to fall on deaf…

In the past nine years, Angola has reported a concerning 200 instances of human trafficking. Ana Celeste Januário, the Secretary of State for Human Rights and Citizenship, shared these alarming statistics during a thematic meeting in Luanda focused on the Program for the Promotion of Human Rights. Januário highlighted that the provinces particularly beset by this grave issue include primarily border regions as well as the capital, Luanda. She strongly encouraged citizens to follow established laws and engage in commerce…

President João Lourenço has recently enacted two pieces of legislation that, according to Human Rights Watch, significantly undermine international standards for human rights, particularly in regard to media, expression, and association freedoms.

In a significant development, the Special Criminal Court, which delves into human rights breaches from the nation's civil war, has apprehended Abakar Zakaria Hamid. Hamid, a prominent figure in the Seleka militia—a rebellious band that took over Bangui in 2023—is under indictment. He stands accused of masterminding a vicious assault on a church a decade ago, an attack that tragically claimed the lives of no less than 17 individuals. Additionally, seven other persons are now in custody, facing charges linked to this heinous…

In Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Free Francois Beya collective condemns the violation of the rights of François Beya, former adviser to the head of state, Félix Tshisekedi, regarding security.…

Amnesty International calls on Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed to lift arbitrary travel bans. The organization has identified about fifty travel bans in one week. Amnesty International also condemns "illegal" measures. Most of the people concerned wanted to travel to Turkey and a Member of Parliament was going to France. The…

Guinea's justice has issued an international arrest warrant against Sékou Koundouno, an active member of civil society who is also responsible for the planning and strategy of the FNDC, the front that opposed Alpha Condé's third term. He is charged with conspiracy to commit criminal activity, arson, disturbing the state through massacres, destruction and looting, and participation in a rebellious…

A brand new arrest happened in reference to the Floribert Chebeya affair, the human rights activist was murdered together with his accomplice Fidèle Bazana in June 2010 within the nationwide police amenities. Brigadier General-Ngoy Ilunga Doudou, on the run for 11 years, was arrested on Tuesday, August 24 in Lubumbashi. as…