2 April
Freedom of Expression Protections and Limitations within the African System
Freedom of Expression Protections and Limitations within the African System
How have the organs of the African System of Human and People’s Rights dealt with fundamental questions pertaining to the right to freedom of expression and access to information in their jurisprudence? With its judicial body, the African Court of Human and People’s Rights, in combination with the African Commission of Human and People’s Rights as an independent quasi-judicial body, the African System has developed a valuable jurisprudence regarding freedom of expression in the African continent. In this webinar, the panelists reflected on the contributions of the African System to a global understanding of freedom of expression norms, as well as existing challenges and limitations for the further advancement of freedom of expression jurisprudence in the regional context. Speakers also presented and discussed the findings of the Special Collection Paper on the African System.
The French language database and this webinar were made possible with the support of UNESCO Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP), and the Cyrilla Collaborative, with funding from The Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.
CGFoE is thankful to ARTICLE 19 Senegal and other colleagues in West Africa and Europe for supporting this webinar.
Speakers:
- Anderson Dirocie De León, Legal and Program Consultant at Global Freedom of Expression.
- Sarah Peeters, Programme Officer – Development of the Legal Profession at the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU).
- Sylla Sow, Consultant at ARTICLE 19, Senegal and West Africa.
Moderator:
- Alfred Nkuru Bulakali, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19, Senegal and West Africa.
Moderator: Alfred Nkuru Bulakali, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19, Senegal and West Africa
Alfred Nkuru Bulakali is a dedicated activist with a fervent commitment to social justice, human rights, peacebuilding, and inclusive governance. With a Master’s in Public Law, he began his journey as a teaching and research assistant before delving into advocacy through the Bar Association of Lawyers and media platforms, focusing on peacebuilding and social development. Over the past two decades, Alfred has played multifaceted roles across Africa and Asia, driving initiatives in peacebuilding, governance, human rights, women and youth empowerment, and media programs. He’s served as a radio producer, trainer, advocate, researcher, manager, director, specialist advisor, consultant, and civil society activist. Additionally, he has contributed significantly to the establishment and leadership of various CSO networks and movements. Currently serving as the Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 West Africa, Alfred’s mission is to safeguard freedom of expression and access to information. His daily motivation stems from the vision of a world characterized by stability, inclusivity, and justice, where individuals can freely exercise their rights and potentials without fear or discrimination.
Anderson Javiel Dirocie De León, Legal and Program Consultant at Global Freedom of Expression
He is an international lawyer specialized in Public International Law and Human Rights. He has worked in several international courts and bodies, including the International Criminal Court, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. In addition, he worked in the Electoral High Court of the Dominican Republic and in various NGOs. He holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School (2023), an LLM in Advanced Studies in Public International Law from Leiden University (2018), and an LL.B. Summa Cum Laude from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) (2017). Within the framework of these latter studies, he did her research work on International Law and the Internet, in particular, the extension of human rights protection on social media platforms with a case study on the Oversight Board.
Sarah Peeters, Programme Officer – Development of the Legal Profession at the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU)
She manages projects related to the legal profession and she contributes to the drafting and reviewing of the applications before the regional courts in East-Africa. Furthermore, she is the focal point on freedom of expression related projects within PALU. Before joining PALU, she volunteered at the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) in Arusha, Tanzania. In 2012, Mrs. Peeters got admitted to the Bar Association of Antwerp (Belgium) and was a practicing lawyer for more than 9 years. She founded her own law firm in 2016 and specialized in legal aid and family law. Mrs. Peeters holds an LLM in private law and criminal law and a LLB in private and public law from the Free University Brussel.
Sylla Sow, Consultant at ARTICLE 19, Senegal and West Africa
Sylla Sow, PhD, specialises in Public International Law and serves as a tenured lecturer at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar (UCAD). He has previously held the position of Director of Studies at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace (IDHP) and currently works as an Associate Researcher, focusing on legal analysis at ARTICLE19 Senegal and West Africa. Sylla Sow’s scholarly endeavors are dedicated to the protection of human rights under both international and national frameworks. He has actively contributed to various projects advocating for the defense and safeguarding of individuals in Senegal and across West Africa. Dr. Sylla Sow is also an accomplished author, having penned numerous articles and conference papers. Notable works include his role as coordinator and contributor to the practical manual on human rights. Additionally, his scholarly contributions include the paper titled “The Extraordinary African Chambers: An Evaluation of Africa’s First Experience in Criminal Justice,” featured in the special January 2019 issue of the African Annals New Series (pp. 243-276), as well as “The Role of the Vice President in African Political Regimes,” published in the AFRILEX Review in November 2022 (pp. 1-33).
- CGFoE’s Special Collection Paper on “African System of Human and Peoples’ Rights”