Attacks on human rights defenders have become rampant in Africa

By Deo Wasswa

Attacks on Young Human Rights Defenders have become unprecedented allover Africa.

According to a report dubbed "African youth defenders perspectives 2019 from rhetoric to action" launched by Transformative leaders Network-Africa, these attacks are carried out by a range of state and non-state actors, including armed militant and extremist groups, police and military forces, government authorities and off campus groups among others.

According to Fredrick Ekakoro Etoori, head of secretariat at Transformative Leaders Network -Africa (TRANET-Africa), the report, provides a general situation of youth human rights defenders in 2019, the category of the youth human rights defenders at most risk, the country and or region that recorded the most cases of youth human rights defenders at risk among others.

The report documented 70 cases in Uganda, 25 cases in South Sudan, Kenya 25, Sudan 16, Tanzania 2, south Africa 5 Among others.