African Commission on Human and People’s rights comments on the critical situation of South Africa.

The South Africa Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and People's rights, Solomon Ayele Dersso, manifested his worries about the emergence of protests in various parts of South Africa in the wake of the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma in a press statement on 15th July 2021. He also commented about the increasing atmosphere of violence and insecurity that has been taking the streets of South Africa's cities, including looting, ransacking of property and business establishments and disruption of lines of transportation. So far, 72 people were killed during the ongoing events. The Rapporteur mentioned that these signs of instability and danger seriously affect people's safety and compromise their access to basic necessities and the socio-economic wellbeing of all of South Africa in general. Lastly, he highlighted the right to peaceful protests is an essential element of the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, although it cannot serve as a licence for breaching the law and threatening other fundamental rights. The African Commission underscores that all measures should be put in place to protect the right to life guaranteed under Article 4 of the African Charter and prevent any arbitrary deprivation of life in the process of the effort to restore law and order. For further information, please visit: https://www.achpr.org/pressrelease/detail?id=590