Foreword
The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights establishes a regional human
rights body, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), with
the mandate to promote the observance of the Charter, ensure the protection of the
rights and freedoms set out in the Charter, interpret the Charter and advise on its
implementation.
Article 5 of the African Charter provides that every individual shall have the right
to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition of
his legal status. All forms of exploitation and degradation of man and particularly
slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment
shall be prohibited.
At the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Commission, the Association for the
Prevention of Torture (APT), an international NGO enjoying Observer Status to the
African Commission and committed to working internationally to tackle the global
problem of torture and ill-treatment, proposed to the African Commission to hold a
joint workshop in order to formulate concrete measures which would be taken for
effective implementation of the provisions of Article 5 of the African Charter.
The workshop was held, from 12 to 14 February 2002, on Robben Island, a symbolic
place for Africa, where Nelson Mandela and other activists against the South African
Apartheid regime were detained for many years. This meeting drew together African
and international experts from a variety of backgrounds. These joint efforts led to the
successful drafting of comprehensive guidelines and measures for the prohibition and
prevention of torture and ill-treatment in Africa, called “Robben Island Guidelines”.
The Robben Island Guidelines were adopted by the African Commission during its
32nd ordinary session. These Guidelines are designed to assist States to meet their
national, regional and international obligations for the effective enforcement and
implementation of the universally recognised prohibition and prevention of torture.
The adoption of the Robben Island Guidelines is an important step forward in the
promotion of human rights and in the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in Africa,