At its 56th Ordinary Session held in Banjul from 21 April to 7 May 2015, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) adopted a resolution strongly condemning the attacks and violence against foreign nationals in South Africa and calling upon the government to ensure that all the perpetrators are held accountable. The resolution also requests the government to take appropriate measures to guarantee that the rights of all immigrants are protected in accordance with the applicable international and regional human rights instruments. FIDH welcomes the ACHPR’s decision which echoes its recommendations and sustained advocacy work made along with its member organisation Lawyers for Human Rights.
In early April 2015, thousand of people began to attack “foreigners” and loot foreign-owned shops in Durban. The wave of violence spread to the capital Johannesburg and several people died.
FIDH and LHR will continue mobilising to ensure that the authorities of South Africa develop and implement a human-rights based immigration policy that conforms with the country’s regional and international human rights commitments.