Mali's Modibo Sacko elected new president of African Court

Justice Modibo Sacko of Mali was elected as the new president of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (AfCHPR) on Monday, the court said on X.

The AfCHPR voted for a new president and vice president during its 77th ordinary session in the Tanzanian city of Arusha, where the court is based.

Sacko succeeded Tanzania’s Justice Imani Daud Aboud, under whom he served as vice president from 2023 during her last two-year terms.

Algerian Justice Bensaoula Chafika was chosen to take over from Sacko as vice president of the African Court.

Two-year term for president, renewable once

The AfCHPR, which was established in 2006, is a continental court established by African countries to ensure protection of human and peoples’ rights in the continent.

Each of the court judges, who hail from 11 different African countries, serves a six-year term and can only be re-elected once.

The court's president and vice-president are, meanwhile, elected to two-year terms each. They, too, can only be re-elected once.