African court suspends 56TH ordinary session due to coronavirus outbreak

By Wallace Mawire

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights which began its 56th Ordinary Session on 2 March 2020 at its Seat in Arusha, Tanzania, has cut-short its proceedings on Friday, 20 March 2020, because of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Session was due to end on 27 March 2020.

The President of the African Court, Hon Justice Sylvain Oré, said that the measure was absolutely necessary to prevent any risk of contracting COVID-19 by the Judges and the Staff.

‘’The Court has decided to act decisively in the interest of health and safety of all Judges, Staff and residents of Arusha and beyond,’’ he stressed.

Among other emergency measures adopted by the Court, he said, was to decongest the Court by ordering all non-essential staff to work from home and key departments with limited staff to carry out their duties on shift-basis until further notice.

The President of the Court has urged the staff to take maximum precaution during this difficult period by ensuring that they adhere to all hygienic conditions, including use of sterilisers, frequently wash their hands and abstain from crowded places, among others.