Tunisia is today presenting its human rights record at the Universal Periodic Review initiated by the United Nations Human Rights Council. ASF, along with other civil society organisations, has contributed to the event by means of an alternative report. ASF is in particular calling for the withdrawal of the economic and financial reconciliation bill that would enable the legal proceedings against corruption, launched since the departure of the former president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali six years ago, to be closed down.

ASF has come a long way since it started up its activities in Congo 15 years ago. Its aim, from the very beginning, has been to ensure that people become more aware of their rights and can enforce them. We opened our first office in Kinshasa on 12 March 2002. Since then, we’ve developed a wide range of projects. Our network has grown nationwide, thanks to all those we have met who supported us, offering their advice and expertise, working with us in circumstances that were not always easy.

ASF, the Tunisian National Bar Association and the Tunisian League for Human Rights are calling on the Tunisian authorities to review the 2015 counter-terrorism act. Enforcement of this act raises issues regarding the right to a fair trial. The three partner organisations say that respecting human rights is a democratic state’s main weapon for fighting against terrorism effectively.

Nine civil society organisations in Tunisia, including ASF, are calling on the temporary Special Committee tasked with examining and sorting applications to the Truth and Dignity Commission (IVD) to respect the provisions of the transitional justice law with regard to the procedure for appointing IVD members.

ASF releases two publications on reparations for victims of mass crimes in Uganda. They aim at assisting all stakeholders dealing with reparations in the country and, particularly, victims, their counsels and the judges of the International Crimes Division. They will also give a new kick-start to the transitional justice process. While reparations are only one component of this process, they may serve as an “icebreaker” to open the door for the implementation of other measures including truth, justice and reform.

While former LRA rebel Dominic Ongwen is facing justice before the ICC, ASF recalls the importance of bringing justice closer to the affected communities. The NGO supports the organisation of live screenings of the opening of Ongwen’s trial and encourages national authorities to increase their support to make justice accessible for all.

Civil-society organisations in Tunisia, including ASF, are calling on members of parliament to elect new commissioners to the Truth and Dignity Commission (Instance Vérité et Dignité, IVD) without delay. The resignation of many members of the IVD is threatening to incapacitate it.

ASF, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Independent National Coordination on Transitional Justice will host a national congress to relaunch the transitional justice process in Tunisia, on 2 and 3 November in Tunis, with the participation of the Truth and Dignity Commission (IVD). The congress will bring together the IVD, civil society, public authorities, policy-makers and victims associations to debate the state of the transition process and to draw up recommendations for taking it forward.

On 21st September 2016 former LRA warlord T. Kwoyelo attended his second pre-trial hearing. After several procedural curbs, the trial might be on track. Most important, for the first time in Uganda, victims right to participate in a trial proceedings was recognized. This could be a very first step towards reparation for victims in Uganda.

Last week, Ugandan and international stakeholders and experts gathered in Entebbe (Uganda) to discuss reparations for victims of mass atrocities in Uganda, during an international conference organized by ASF and REDRESS. The participants shared their experience in the area of transitional justice. The panellists offered recommendations on the framework and implementation of reparation for mass atrocities in the context of Uganda. A document presents a compilation of these recommendations.