TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 5 Disclaimer 5 Preface 6 INTRODUCTION 8 PART A: BACKGROUND TO THE AFRICAN REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM 17 I. Institutional Development: From OAU to AU 19 II. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 22 III. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights 25 1. Membership and Functioning 25 2. Protective Mandate 27 3. Promotional Mandate and Special Procedures (Rapporteurs) 29 IV. The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights 30 V. Other African Human Rights Treaties and Treaty Bodies 33 VI. Sub-Regional Courts of Justice 35 1. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice a) Mandate, Composition and Jurisdiction 35 35 b) Submitting Complaints to the Court 36 2. East African Community (EAC) Court of Justice a) Mandate, Composition and Jurisdiction 36 37 b) Submitting Complaints to the Court 39 3. Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Tribunal 39 a) Mandate, Composition and Jurisdiction 40 b) Submitting Complaints to the Court 42 PART B: SUBSTANTIVE NORMS ON TORTURE IN THE AFRICAN REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM 45 VII. Substantive Norms under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 1. Overview of Charter Provisions 47 47 11