Under international law, forced marriage has emerged as its own form of gendered violence, distinct from sex-related crimes — a phenomenon explored in depth in a report released last month by the Global Accountability Network (GAN), a collective of international criminal prosecutors and practitioners who supervise and work with law students on specific atrocity projects. [...]
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Senegal presidential candidate Khalifa Sall announces opposition to postponement of elections
Senegal presidential candidate Khalifa Sall said Saturday that he was opposed to postponing the country’s presidential elections. This stance comes in direct response to Senegal President Macky Sall’s announcement of the decision to postpone the elections, which were originally scheduled for February 25, 2024. The postponement was attributed to alleged corruption in the final approval [...]
Junta-led Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to withdraw from ECOWAS
The junta leaders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso released a joint statement Sunday on national television saying they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The joint statement accused ECOWAS of betraying its founding principles, posing a threat to its member states and being influenced by foreign powers. Referring to the sanctions [...]
Burkina Faso military faces scrutiny for drone strikes on civilian targets
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report Thursday bringing attention to three military drone strikes conducted by Burkina Faso’s government, reportedly targeting Islamist fighters. The strikes took place between August and November 2023 and resulted in significant civilian casualties in crowded markets and a funeral, according to a recent report by the international human rights [...]
Mali military leaders ended a 2015 peace agreement with separatist rebels in the north of the country citing hostilities and broken commitments among the pact’s signatories during a televised press conference Thursday. Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga read the press release from the Mali transitional government that placed blame for the peace agreement’s failure on international mediation and [...]
Mali recalls ambassador to Algeria following interference accusations
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mali announced it is recalling its ambassador in Algiers “for consultation with immediate effect” in a statement after Algerian officials criticized the recent escalating violence in Mali, fuelling tensions between both countries. The decision came after the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, summoned the ambassador of Mali [...]
Vatican court sentences cardinal to 5.5 years in prison over role in investment scandal
A Vatican court sentenced Cardinal Angelo Becciu to 5.5 years in prison Saturday after the prelate was convicted of embezzlement and fraud in relation to a real estate investment scandal that cost the Vatican millions of Euros. The Cardinal was also handed a €8,000 fine and barred from holding public office in the Holy See. [...]
The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced Monday it would close after ten years of service. Mali previously called upon the UN to withdraw from the country “without delay” in June. The UN began withdrawing the mission in July. MINUSMA expressed gratitude to the countries that supported their effort and thanked the [...]
HRW: Burkina Faso conscription plan to muzzle dissent from journalists and organizations
Human Rights Watch stated on Wednesday that Burkina Faso’s junta is intensifying its assault on dissent by notifying 12 journalists, civil society activists and opposition party members that they were required to participate in government security operations across the country. The interim military authorities in Burkina Faso claim that the conscription orders are justified under [...]
Why do coups d’état happen? Is it that bad leadership pushes people to their boiling points, compelling them to take matters into their own hands? Or is it a lack of adequate preventative laws? Do external factors play a role? And in Africa specifically, how much of an impact does history tend to have? Moreover, [...]