Assembly/AU/11 (XIII)
Annex II
Page 25
concern allegedly committed in Africa and to this end have addressed requests
for extradition to certain EU Member States. It pays to recall too that the inability
of the courts of the requested states to satisfy themselves that certain
fundamental human rights guarantees would be respected on the surrender of the
suspects to the requesting states explains the lack of success of these requests
to date.
EU Member States clearly take the view that the effective
implementation of international legal standards relating to conditions of detention
and fair trial is a prerequisite to the accession to such requests in the future,
especially given these states’ legal obligations in respect of extradition under the
European Convention on Human Rights.
V.
RECOMMENDATIONS
46.
According to the terms of reference, the experts were to make recommendations
with a view to fostering better mutual understanding between the AU and EU
regarding universal jurisdiction. The following recommendations are addressed to
the governments of AU and EU Member States and to the AU and EU institutions,
organs and bodies, as appropriate.
R1.
All states should strive to put an end to impunity for genocide, crimes against
humanity, war crimes and torture, and prosecute those responsible for such
crimes. States are also legally bound to prosecute treaty crimes, whenever they
are parties to such treaties.172
R2.
Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union lays down the right of the
Union to intervene in a Member State pursuant to a decision of the Assembly in
respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against
humanity. Article 4(h) amounts to a statement that impunity for these crimes is
unacceptable to AU Member States. In order to complement Article 4(h), African
States should be encouraged to adopt national legislative and other measures
aimed at preventing and punishing war crimes, genocide and crimes against
humanity. To this end, the AU Commission should consider preparing model
legislation for the implementation of measures of prevention and punishment.
R3.
To the same end, in accordance with the AU Assembly’s Decision 213(XII) of 4
February 2009, the AU Commission, in consultation with the African Commission
on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’
Rights, should examine the implications of the Court being empowered to try
international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war
crimes.173
172
See above, section I.1.
Decision on the Implementation of the Assembly Decision on the Abuse of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction, Decision
Assembly/AU/Dec. 213(XII), 4 February 2009.
173
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