ECOWAS Community Court of Justice

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291 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2025
La Cour a refusé les mesures provisoires, a retenu sa compétence en vertu des articles 9(1)(f) et (g), et a déclaré les actions fondées sur la Charte africaine irrecevables.
Droit administratif – Mesures provisoires : urgence, préjudice irréparable et seuil prima facie ; Procédure accélérée – mesure exceptionnelle ; Compétence – article 9(1)(f) (litiges du personnel) et 9(1)(g) (actions en dommages‑intérêts) applicables, article 9(1)(e) non directement accessible aux particuliers ; Recevabilité – doctrine de l'épuisement inapplicable lorsque les recours internes sont indisponibles pour les Commissaires statutaires ; Actions en matière de droits humains internationaux – les actions fondées sur la Charte africaine sont irrecevables contre une institution de la CEDEAO (seuls les États membres sont responsables).
10 December 2025
November 2025
La Cour confirme l'exigence de la Commission que les officiers militaires démissionnent avant la conversion ; la suspension du salaire est justifiée en cas de prise de fonctions ministérielles sans autorisation.
Droit international public/communautaire – compétence de la Cour de la CEDEAO pour les litiges du personnel ; recevabilité lorsque les recours internes sont non fonctionnels ; conversion du personnel contractuel en postes permanents ; légalité de l'exigence de démission des militaires avant conversion ; caractère non contraignant des rapports du Conseil ; le droit national ne lie pas les institutions communautaires ; suspension de salaire pour prise de fonction politique externe sans autorisation.
19 November 2025
Demande de révision rejetée comme irrecevable pour absence de présentation de faits nouveaux décisifs ; la réargumentation est inacceptable.
Révision d'un jugement – article 25 du Protocole ; article 92 du Règlement – découverte de faits nouveaux d'une nature décisive ; règle du dépôt sous trois mois ; pas un moyen de réexamen en appel des éléments de preuve (MOU) ; compétence maintenue.
19 November 2025
L'échec de l'État, pendant six ans, à reconstituer la NHRC a violé le droit du requérant à une audience équitable dans un délai raisonnable.
Droits de l'homme — Droit à une audience équitable dans un délai raisonnable (article 7(1)(d), Charte africaine) — Organes quasi‑judiciaires (NHRC) visés par l'article 7 — Responsabilité de l'État pour la dissolution/l'inactivité de l'organe national des droits de l'homme — Réparations : dommages‑intérêts généraux et injonction de clore la procédure.
17 November 2025
Requête rejetée pour défaut de compétence ratione temporis ; les violations alléguées ont précédé les traités et le mandat de la Cour en matière de droits de l'homme.
Compétence en matière de droits de l'homme – compétence temporelle (ratione temporis) – non-rétroactivité des traités – doctrine de la violation continue – les effets d'actes fautifs passés ne sont pas équivalents à une violation continue – requête rejetée pour défaut de compétence.
10 November 2025
La peine de mort obligatoire, la pendaison et la détention prolongée dans le couloir de la mort constituent de la torture ; le manquement à fournir des soins médicaux a violé le droit à la santé.
Droits de l'homme — Peine de mort — Peine de mort obligatoire et pendaison — Détention prolongée dans le couloir de la mort comme torture ou traitement cruel, inhumain ou dégradant (Article 5 Charte africaine) ; Droit à la santé des détenus — Obligations de l'État de fournir des soins médicaux adéquats (Article 16 Charte africaine) ; Charge de la preuve pour les allégations de procès in absentia ; Réparations — commutation/libération, soins médicaux, indemnisation.
10 November 2025
July 2025
La demande de révision du jugement antérieur est rejetée comme irrecevable faute de présentation d'un fait nouveau et décisif.
Révision du jugement – Article 27 du Protocole – exigence de fait nouveau et décisif – recevabilité – questions de capacité pour agir, res judicata et prétendue usurpation de la compétence d'appel interne déjà examinées – abus de procédure post‑jugement – condamnation aux dépens.
8 July 2025
L'État a violé ses obligations en omettant de pénaliser les MGF et de mener des enquêtes, poursuivre et réparer les victimes.
Droits de l'homme — Mutilations génitales féminines (MGF) — Obligation pour l'État de pénaliser et sanctionner les MGF en vertu du Protocole de Maputo et de la Charte africaine des droits et du bien‑être de l'enfant — Devoir d'enquêter et de fournir un recours effectif — Responsabilité de l'État pour actes d'acteurs privés en cas de défaut de diligence — Traitement inhumain ou dégradant; la torture n'est pas établie en l'espèce — Réparations : législation, poursuites, indemnisation (30 000 USD).
8 July 2025
L'État déclaré responsable de traitements cruels et inhumains et de la violation de l'intégrité physique et de la santé de l'enfant ; indemnisation accordée.
Droits de l'homme — Victime enfant — Compétence et recevabilité (pas de règle stricte d'épuisement) — Qualité pour agir du parent — Preuve de blessures causées par gaz lacrymogène — La torture requiert une intention spécifique; non établie — Traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants établis — Violation de l'intégrité physique et du droit à la santé — Indemnisation partielle accordée (50 000 000 de francs CFA) — Dépens à la charge de l'État.
7 July 2025
Les requérants n'ont pas prouvé les abus liés aux milices ; la Cour considère que l'État n'est pas responsable et rejette les demandes.
Compétence en matière de droits de l'homme – Recevabilité – personnalité juridique des ONG – Jugement par défaut – Charge et norme de la preuve dans les demandes en matière de droits de l'homme – Responsabilité de l'État pour des acteurs non étatiques (milices) – Exigences probatoires (rapports médicaux, témoignages, preuves documentaires).
7 July 2025
Échec à prouver un refus discriminatoire d'une promotion judiciaire discrétionnaire ; aucune violation du droit à l'égalité n'est établie.
Droits de l'homme — Égalité devant la loi — Refus allégué, discriminatoire, d'une promotion judiciaire — Texte national conférant un pouvoir discrétionnaire à l'exécutif pour les promotions — Charge de la preuve incombant au requérant pour établir la discrimination — Preuves tardives et insuffisantes — Aucune condamnation au titre des dommages.
2 July 2025
May 2025
La Cour a constaté plusieurs détentions arbitraires mais a rejeté les demandes concernant le plébiscite et l'autodétermination pour défaut de compétence ou de qualité pour agir.
Compétence – violations des droits de l'homme ; actes continus vs actes historiques ; recevabilité – personnalité juridique des ONG ; détention arbitraire – article 6 de la Charte africaine ; contrôle des lois nationales limité à la compatibilité avec les obligations internationales ; autodétermination – qualité pour agir du représentant ; réparations et mesures réparatoires.
16 May 2025
Les divulgations publiques du ministère public et les retards judiciaires ont violé la présomption d'innocence, le droit à un délai raisonnable et ont entraîné une détention arbitraire.
Droits de l'homme — présomption d'innocence — déclarations publiques préjudiciables du ministère public ; droit à être jugé dans un délai raisonnable — non‑respect des délais légaux par les autorités pré‑judiciaires ; détention arbitraire — perte de fondement juridique après l'expiration des délais légaux ; réparations — indemnisation pécuniaire, libération et mesures systémiques.
16 May 2025
La Cour de la CEDEAO n'a pas compétence pour connaître des prétentions contractuelles entre une partie privée et un État membre ; le demandeur est condamné à payer les dépens.
Compétence de la Cour de la CEDEAO – article 9 du Protocole additionnel – limitation aux litiges relevant du droit communautaire et des droits de l'homme – exclusion des litiges contractuels entre États membres et tiers – recevabilité de l'exception d'incompétence – condamnation aux dépens du demandeur débouté.
15 May 2025
La détention préventive prolongée a violé les droits à la liberté, à la liberté de circulation, au procès équitable et constituait un traitement inhumain/dégradant ; ordonnant la libération et l'indemnisation.
Droits de l'homme — Compétence en vertu de l'article 9(4) — Recevabilité — La limitation de l'article 9(3) n'est pas applicable aux actions en matière de droits de l'homme — Détention préventive prolongée — Violation des droits à la liberté, à la liberté de circulation, au procès équitable dans un délai raisonnable — Détention prolongée comme traitement inhumain/dégradant — Réparations : libération et indemnisation.
15 May 2025
State-ordered internet and social-media shutdowns violated freedom of expression, access to information and the right to work.
Human rights — Internet shutdowns — Freedom of expression and access to information — Legality, legitimate aim, necessity and proportionality — Right to work affected by arbitrary internet restrictions — Standing of legal persons for expression claims — Limits to Court jurisdiction over non-human-rights regional telecom instruments.
14 May 2025
Court dismissed challenge to Penal/Criminal Code vagrancy provisions for lack of jurisdiction absent identifiable victims.
Human rights jurisdiction – Article 9(4) Protocol – requirement of real and identifiable victims; limits on abstract review of domestic laws; evidentiary threshold – prima facie showing of laws’ application causing rights violations; vagrancy/petty offences challenged under Penal and Criminal Codes; insufficiency of generalized reports without individualised evidence.
14 May 2025
Court dismissed challenge to appointment for lack of evidence, holding efficiency primary and geographical distribution ancillary.
Administrative law; Staff disputes – jurisdiction under Article 9(1)(f); Admissibility – exhaustion of remedies via appeal to Commission President; Employment law – recruitment: primacy of technical efficiency; Equitable geographical distribution ancillary; Burden of proof in discrimination claims; Protection from denigration limited to harms in performance of duty.
13 May 2025
Default judgment: respondent liable for arbitrary arrest and unlawful seizure; insufficient proof of torture; USD 20,000 awarded.
Human-rights jurisdiction of ECOWAS Court; default judgment (Rule 90) for absent State; arbitrary arrest and detention (Article 6 ACHPR); insufficient proof of torture/ill-treatment (Article 5 ACHPR); unlawful seizure/confiscation and property rights violation (Article 14 ACHPR); compensation and costs.
13 May 2025
Application alleging state human-rights violations dismissed for lack of locus standi and legal personality.
Human-rights jurisdiction – Article 9(4) Protocol – admissibility under Article 10(d) – locus standi of indirect victims – legal personality of ‘Estate’ – proof required (birth certificate, Letters of Administration/probate).
13 May 2025
ECOWAS Court: registered copyright alone insufficient to show Article 14 deprivation; Berne/WIPO and domestic constitutional claims outside its competence.
Human rights jurisdiction; Article 14 ACHPR (property) — registration establishes proprietary interest but copying/passing-off without divestment not necessarily an Article 14 breach; Article 26 ICCPR (equality) — insufficiently pleaded; Berne Convention and WIPO Treaty claims are outside ECOWAS Court competence; domestic constitutional claims not for this Court; remedies for alleged IP theft are primarily domestic/criminal or specialised IP fora.
12 May 2025
ECOWAS Court found unlawful restriction of applicant's freedom of movement and awarded compensation.
Human rights – Freedom of movement – Article 12(2) African Charter – legality, necessity and proportionality of restrictions. Admissibility – victim status, non‑anonymity, absence of lis pendens. Evidence – burden of proof, prima facie case and burden‑shifting. Remedies – cessation of measures, general financial compensation, costs assessment.
9 May 2025
Discrimination challenge to gambling advertising guideline dismissed for lack of evidence and improper party.
Human rights – Jurisdiction – Court empowered to hear alleged human-rights violations by Member States under Supplementary Protocol; Parties – State agencies not proper respondents before Court; agencies' acts imputed to State; Non-discrimination – Article 2 African Charter; requirement to prove differential treatment and produce documentary/empirical evidence; Burden of proof – claimant must establish identity of counterparties, correspondence and concrete facts supporting alleged discrimination; Administrative regulation – balancing public interest in regulation of gambling advertising.
8 May 2025
April 2025
Alleged non bis in idem and denial of defence rejected where successive prosecutions involved distinct facts.
Human rights – fair trial – non bis in idem/res judicata – scope requires same facts, same cause of action and final decision; rights of defence – personal appearance requirement in criminal trials and limits on counsel pleading in absentia; damages – require proven violation and loss; counterclaim for abusive proceedings – referral to ECOWAS Court is not abuse.
12 April 2025
Court finds two state blasphemy laws incompatible with freedom of expression and orders repeal or amendment.
• Human rights – Freedom of expression – Compatibility of domestic blasphemy laws with Article 9(2) African Charter and Article 19 ICCPR. • Legality test – Vagueness and discretion: Section 210 (Kano Penal Code) fails legality. • Proportionality – Death penalty for blasphemy: Section 382(b) (Kano Sharia Penal Code) disproportionate. • Actio popularis – Admissibility: freedom of expression actionable; rights to life and freedom of religion characterised as private and inadmissible absent broader public impact. • State responsibility – Federal State accountable for sub-state laws inconsistent with international obligations. • Evidence – Extra-judicial killings allegations unproven without corroborated evidence.
9 April 2025
Court finds state liable for inhuman treatment and unreasonable delay in investigating applicant’s complaint, awards CFA 6.5 million.
Human rights — Jurisdiction of ECOWAS Court; Admissibility — victim status; Evidence — contemporaneous medical certificate and press reports; Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by state agents; Right to be tried/ investigated within reasonable time — state obligation to investigate; Remedies — monetary compensation and investigative measures; Costs — borne by respondent.
9 April 2025
Applicant failed to prove the State denied access to hospital-use medication, so no violation of the right to health was found.
Jurisdiction – human rights – right to health; Procedural compliance – preliminary objections must be filed separately under Rule 87; Right to health – availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality; Burden of proof – applicant must show denial or deliberate state omission; Administrative process – authorization granted and applicant failed to follow hospital requisition procedures.
7 April 2025
Applicant failed to prove rape, pregnancy or State denial of safe abortion; Court admissible but found no human‑rights violations.
Human rights — court procedure — preliminary objections must be filed separately under Article 87 of the Rules; Jurisdiction — court cannot review domestic laws in the abstract but may adjudicate concrete human‑rights complaints; Evidence — applicant bears burden to produce minimal corroborative evidence of rape, pregnancy and denial of health services; Reproductive rights — alleged denial of safe abortion examined under Article 16 (right to health), Article 18 (family and women protection), Maputo Protocol Article 14(2)(c) and relevant child‑rights provisions.
4 April 2025
March 2025
State breached applicant's rights to an effective remedy and protection from inhuman treatment by failing to investigate and preserve evidence.
• Human rights – jurisdiction of ECOWAS Court over individual complaints; admissibility under Supplementary Protocol.• Procedural law – default judgment (Article 90): duty to assess jurisdiction, admissibility and merits despite defendant’s absence.• State obligations – due diligence to prevent, investigate and prosecute sexual violence by non-state actors; preservation of evidence.• Rights violated – right to effective remedy/access to justice; right to dignity and protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.• Reparations – monetary compensation; systemic legislative, administrative and victim support measures.
20 March 2025
Respondent’s failure to defend; Court finds arbitrary detention, inhuman treatment, media breach of presumption of innocence; awards damages.
Human rights — jurisdiction of ECOWAS Court over individual complaints — default judgment procedure — arbitrary arrest and detention — inhuman and degrading treatment in custody — presumption of innocence and unlawful media exposure — right to privacy, honour and reputation — reparation and investigative obligation under CAT and international law.
17 March 2025
Repeal and replacement of discriminatory land law rendered claims moot; default judgment denied and damages refused.
Human rights / non-discrimination – Land law – Alleged statutory discrimination against an ethnic community (Krios) via Provinces Land Act 1960 – Whether legislation breaches Articles 2 and 19 of the African Charter. Procedure – Default judgment – Requirements: jurisdiction, admissibility, compliance with formalities, and whether the claim is well-founded. Mootness – Effect of subsequent domestic legislation (National Land Commission Act 2022; Customary Land Rights Act 2022) repealing impugned statute and curing discrimination – effect on admissibility and merits. Reparations – Evidentiary standard for special damages; discretionary approach to general damages when merits not determined. Standing – Representative actions by community organisations before the Court under Article 10(d).
17 March 2025
Failure to create an additional state does not automatically breach peoples' equality or development rights.
• Jurisdiction – material jurisdiction over human-rights claims against Member States; lack of personal jurisdiction over non-ECOWAS-domiciled NGO. • Admissibility – public interest (actio popularis) allowed; NGOs need not show mandate to sue where collective rights are invoked. • Merits – delimitation/creation of subnational units is a domestic matter within State’s margin of appreciation; failure to create an additional state does not per se violate Articles 19 or 22 African Charter or Article 26 ICCPR. • Remedies – Court will not order creation of states; no reparations where no violation found.
17 March 2025
The applicants’ violent home arrests and detention to prevent protests breached multiple human rights; Court awarded CFA5,000,000 each.
Human rights law – jurisdiction and admissibility – arbitrary arrest and unlawful entry into homes – freedom of assembly, expression and demonstration – right to legal assistance and fair trial – remedies and modest compensation.
17 March 2025
ECOWAS Court found fair‑trial violations (unreasonable delay and denial of defence), awarded limited damages.
Human rights — ECOWAS Court jurisdiction — admissibility — expedited procedure — right to fair trial — presumption of innocence — right to be tried within reasonable time — right of defence (access to chosen counsel and case file) — arbitrary detention — torture/inhuman treatment — compensation and costs.
14 March 2025
February 2025
Court retained jurisdiction over continuing human-rights obligations but dismissed application for lack of applicants’ standing.
Human-rights jurisdiction – Article 9(4) – Continuing State obligations to investigate, prosecute and provide reparations for past violations. Admissibility – Article 10(d) – Standing/victim status; representation of deceased victims and requirement to plead relationship or mandate. Limitation – Article 9(3) – Three-year rule does not apply to human-rights claims. Jurisdictional limits – International court cannot be treated as appellate forum over national court judgments.
28 February 2025
Court had jurisdiction but dismissed application as inadmissible for failure to exhaust internal administrative remedies.
Administrative law; ECOWAS Staff Regulations – exhaustion of internal remedies; Article 73(a) construed with Article 10(e) of the Court Protocol; former staff as "official" for jurisdictional purposes; permissive language ('may') in staff rules read in context requires exhaustion of Council of Ministers remedy; inadmissibility for failure to exhaust remedies.
28 February 2025
State agents unlawfully caused a death, investigation and timely redress were inadequate, and reparations were ordered.
Human rights — Right to life — Arbitrary deprivation by State agents — Duty to investigate effectively — Right to fair hearing — Victim status/admissibility — Reparations (compensation and interest).
28 February 2025
ECOWAS Court lacks jurisdiction to review national court property decisions and thus declared the application inadmissible.
Human rights jurisdiction – Right to property – Allegation based on domestic judicial decisions – Court not a forum for appellate review of national courts – Lack of jurisdiction – Costs awarded to successful party.
14 February 2025
Representative human-rights claims require proof of victim status or mandate; lacking that, the application is inadmissible.
Human rights – freedom of expression and assembly – alleged killings at protest site – jurisdiction of ECOWAS Community Court. Admissibility – victim status and representative capacity – requirement to produce mandate or authorization to represent identifiable victims. Procedural law – failure to provide proof of authorization renders representative application inadmissible despite substantive allegations. Remedies – claims for declarations and reparations dismissed on admissibility grounds.
14 February 2025
Public interest human-rights suit dismissed for failing to identify victims capable of being envisaged.
Human rights jurisdiction – Article 9(4) Supplementary Protocol – mere allegations sufficient; Admissibility – public interest litigation – NGO legal personality and locus standi; Admissibility test – rights public in nature; reliefs for public benefit; victims must be capable of being envisaged; Failure to identify envisaged victims renders public interest claim inadmissible.
14 February 2025
Court dismissed damages claim, finding ECOWAS sanctions on Mali lawful and not liable for damages.
ECOWAS jurisdiction – Article 9(1)(g) Supplementary Protocol – damages claims against Community institutions; default judgment – Article 90 Rules; lawfulness of sanctions – Article 77(3) Revised Treaty and Protocols on Democracy and Conflict Mechanism; lawful acts of Community institutions do not attract liability in damages; Article 9(4) human-rights jurisdiction not available against ECOWAS institutions without treaty basis.
14 February 2025
Applicant's human-rights claims dismissed for lack of evidence linking violations to the respondent.
• Human rights jurisdiction – ECOWAS Court competence to hear alleged violations in Member States – admissibility of individual applications. • Limits on Court’s competence – domestic constitutional claims are not applicable sources under international law for the Court. • State responsibility – necessity of evidence establishing attribution or failure to protect before holding a State liable for acts of private individuals. • Evidentiary standard – human-rights claims require probative evidence linking violations to the State to obtain remedies including reparations or injunctions.
13 February 2025
13 February 2025
January 2025
Court found jurisdiction over human-rights challenge to broadcasting rules but dismissed the case for lack of standing and mandate.
Human rights jurisdiction – application of domestic law – Court examines actual application of law causing violations, not laws in abstracto. Standing/locus standi – corporate applicants and freedom of expression: corporate bodies may bring claims for certain fundamental rights (eg freedom of expression) under established exceptions. Admissibility/actio popularis – requirements: rights must be public, reliefs exclusively for public benefit, victims must be capable of being envisioned. Representative actions – requirement of mandate/authorization to act on behalf of the alleged victim. Costs – interlocutory costs awarded against respondent for procedural conduct.
27 January 2025
December 2024
Court finds State liable for torture in custody, awards N5,000,000 and orders investigation and prosecution.
Human rights – Jurisdiction of ECOWAS Court over individual claims; statute of limitations inapplicable to individual human rights actions; torture in custody – elements and burden of proof; presumption and evidentiary weight of injuries occurring in State custody; State obligation to investigate and prosecute; reparations and compensation.
3 December 2024
Default judgment: media-trial claims dismissed; prolonged interdiction violated the Applicant's right to work; US$10,000 awarded.
Human rights—jurisdiction and admissibility of default judgment; media trials and State attribution; presumption of innocence; lawfulness of interdiction pending investigation; right to work and reparations for prolonged employment deprivation.
3 December 2024
November 2024
Court grants default judgment, finds re-arrest and detention after charge withdrawal arbitrary, awards USD 10,000 damages.
ECOWAS Court jurisdiction – human rights violations under A/SP.1/01/05; Default judgment – requirements of notice, admissibility, formalities and well-foundedness; Right to liberty (Article 6 African Charter) – lawfulness, reasonable suspicion, 48-hour presentation rule; Arbitrary re-arrest and detention – failure to inform detainee of reasons; Fair hearing, freedom of movement, equality/non-discrimination – burden of specific proof; Reparations – monetary compensation for arbitrary detention/deprivation of liberty.
22 November 2024
22 November 2024
22 November 2024
Default judgment denied where allegations of torture lacked sufficient identity verification and probative evidence.
Human rights — Allegation of torture and ill-treatment by State security agents; default judgment — jurisdiction, admissibility and procedural formalities satisfied but insufficient evidence (identity verification and unclear injury photos) precluded grant of default judgment.
14 November 2024