Wakilii

Coordinating Secretary of the Free Citizens Convention v Ghana (Communication 4 of 1988)

African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights · [1988] ACHPR 9 · 1988 Communication Inadmissible AI-generated summary ↓ Download Pin to watchlist Add to matter
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Type
Communication to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights concerning alleged arrest and detention
Decision
Communication dismissed for lack of jurisdiction

Observed later treatment

No later-treatment classification is recorded for this judgment.

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AI-generated summary. This summary was generated by AI from the full text of the judgment. It may contain errors or omissions—always read the source judgment before relying on it.

Holding

The African Commission declared the communication inadmissible on the ground that it was directed against Ghana, a State which was not party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights at the time. The Commission has no jurisdiction over non-State parties to the Charter.

Outcome

Communication dismissed for lack of jurisdiction

Facts

The Coordinating Secretary of the Free Citizens Convention filed a communication with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights concerning alleged arrest and detention of persons in Ghana on 25 June 1987. The communication was considered at the Commission's fourth ordinary session held from 17 to 26 October 1988.

Issues

  1. Whether the African Commission has jurisdiction to consider a communication directed against a State that is not party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Orders

  • Communication declared inadmissible.

Rules and key headnotes

Human Rights — African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights — Jurisdiction — Admissibility
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has no jurisdiction to consider communications directed against States that are not parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Legislation cited (2)

  • African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights art.30
  • Rules of Procedure of the African Commission art.101

Full judgment

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The original judgment as reported. Read the original PDF before relying on any passage.

Coordinating Secretary of the Free Citizens Convention v Ghana (Communication 4 of 1988) [1988] ACHPR 9 (26 October 1988)
Source: this page presents Wakilii’s issue analysis and metadata for a publicly reported Ugandan judgment. Any AI-generated summary is marked as such. Judgment text is sourced from the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ulii.org). Wakilii is not affiliated with ULII.