Legal and Judicial Affairs

Zimbabwe’s human rights watchdog has warned that public hearings on proposed constitutional changes are being undermined by intimidation and the exclusion of critics, with opponents of the bill reportedly singled out. The Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) noted strong turnout at the sessions and praised Parliament for widely promoting the hearings and inviting written submissions. However, it flagged serious risks to participants’ safety. Commission Chairperson Jessie Majome said that "whilst those in support...…

President Paul Kagame issued a stark warning against genocide denial and the rewriting of history, insisting that the record of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi is incontrovertible and not open to erasure. He dismissed narratives portraying the killings as a spontaneous eruption. Kagame noted that the historical record has been firmly established by international tribunals and Rwanda’s Gacaca court process, which generated millions of case files nationwide. He also underscored that clear warnings were available before…

At least two people have been confirmed dead and dozens remain unaccounted for after a migrant vessel capsized in the Mediterranean, rescuers said, as survivors and witnesses described a desperate scramble at sea. The small craft, which set off from Libya, overturned inside a search-and-rescue area that is officially the responsibility of Libyan authorities. German NGO Sea-Watch reported that two merchant ships passing nearby pulled 32 people from the water and transported them to Lampedusa, the Italian island that serves…

After more than 40 years in power, President Paul Biya is poised to install a vice-president for the first time in his rule, following parliament’s approval of contentious constitutional changes. The move revives a position that was abolished in 1972. The amendment hands the aging leader sweeping control over the vice president’s office: Biya can appoint and dismiss the deputy at his discretion, and the vice president may exercise only those authorities the president delegates. In the event of the president’s death,…

In a dramatic turn of events, the military announced the successful rescue of 31 worshippers who had been taken hostage during a violent assault on a church in northwestern Kaduna state. The attack unfolded in Ariko village, where both a Catholic and an evangelical church were targeted during Easter services. Tragically, seven individuals lost their lives, with the military reporting that five bodies were discovered at the scene. This horrific incident occurred despite a directive from the police chief for a "massive…

A recent report by Human Rights Watch has uncovered a harrowing reality in Burkina Faso, revealing that over 1,800 civilians have lost their lives in the turmoil following Ibrahim Traoré's ascent to power three years ago. The document outlines incidents that constitute both war crimes and crimes against humanity, with 1,837 civilians—including many children—reported killed across 57 events from January 2023 to August 2025. The majority of these killings have been linked to the military and its allied militias, while a…

Troops are now on the streets as South Africa turns to its army to bolster overstretched police in a push against violent crime, from illicit mining syndicates to entrenched gang networks. Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized the deployment of 2,200 soldiers to five of the country’s nine provinces hit hardest by criminal activity. Set to run for a year, the operation aims to stabilize communities battered by lawlessness, though critics argue the military is an imperfect tool for civilian policing.…

Years after the Fishrot fraud and corruption scandal first rattled Namibia, government-appointed curators say their bid to trace, seize and administer assets tied to the case is being stalled on multiple fronts. Appointed in 2024, the curators report running into legal and institutional obstacles at home and abroad, while also voicing frustration over local banks’ slow or absent replies, cancelled engagements with the accused, and gaps in critical records — all of which have dragged out their work. Back in 2020, The…

Four men appeared in a Harare courtroom accused of running a trafficking ring that sent Zimbabweans to Russia, where victims were allegedly coerced into fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. Prosecutors say the suspects worked with a Russian national to recruit five people by advertising bogus firefighting jobs. Authorities allege the group targeted recruits on Facebook, Telegram, and WhatsApp, arranging travel to Russia before confiscating the victims’ documents on arrival. Instead of the promised emergency work, the…

With a coordinated show of strength, Zanu-PF packed public hearings on a Constitutional Amendment Bill that seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tenure to 2030. Supporters were ferried from towns such as Beatrice to sessions in Dema and Chitungwiza, where some filed written affidavits endorsing the proposal. The hearings again laid bare the opposition’s disarray, with its leaders struggling to mobilize a counter-presence. Opposition figures, meanwhile, accused the Parliamentary Committee running the hearings of…