African rights court to train lawyers to represent indigent Applicants

Forty lawyers registered with the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) to represent indigent Applicants before the Court, will undergo a three-day intensive training next month in Arusha. According to the President of the AfCHPR, Justice Sylvain Oré, the training will run from August 3-5; aimed at familiarising the lawyers with the Court’s judicial and operational aspects and also update them on the legal aid scheme. ‘’This is the first time such training is conducted’’, he said in a statement, adding that at the end of the training, the lawyers would have been equipped with requisite skills in order to represent indigent applicants effectively. Currently 61 counsels from 25 countries have registered with the Court to represent indigent Applicants. The countries are: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Italy, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was established with a view to enhancing the protection of human rights on the continent. By mid-July 2017, the Court had received 147 Applications, disposed of 31 while 112 pending and transferred 4 to the Banjul Commission. Of the 147 Applications received, 134 were from individuals, 10 from NGOs and three from the Banjul Commission. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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African rights court to train lawyers to represent indigent Applicants