African court asked to rule on cross-border prosecution of ex-leaders

The Pan African Lawyers Union (Palu) has requested the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to clarify whether African states can prosecute former leaders for grave crimes after they leave office, including through cross-border prosecutions. Palu's CEO, Donald Deya, emphasized that this request aims to address persistent gaps in accountability that allow leaders to evade justice. The union cites the case of former Chadian president Hissène Habré as a landmark example of the application of universal jurisdiction.