A Week of Human Rights Assessment in Africa

By Melanie Nathan, Oct 25, 2026 The weekly assessment identified three high-risk field developments in Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Tunisia, as well as a significant human rights warning concerning the principle of non-refoulement in Sierra Leone.

In Ethiopia, humanitarian reports indicated that more than 14,000 people had crossed into neighbouring Kenya following armed clashes in the Moyale area of southern Ethiopia. The displacement has raised serious concerns regarding civilian safety and displaced populations' access to adequate food, drinking water, sanitation and other essential services.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the public health figures cited in the monitoring record indicated that the cumulative Ebola outbreak toll had reached 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths, based on data available through 20 October 2026. These developments underscore the need to continue assessing the effectiveness of the public health response and the capacity of relevant institutions to mitigate risks and protect vulnerable populations.

In Tunisia, protests and confrontations were reported in several areas, during which police used tear gas. The demonstrations followed deaths that some families linked to security operations. Conflicting accounts regarding the circumstances of those deaths have yet to be resolved through independent investigation, reinforcing the need for transparency and accountability.

In Sierra Leone, human rights concerns emerged over the potential onward removal of three individuals previously deported from the United States to their countries of origin, despite earlier US judicial protection against removal based on the risk of torture or other serious abuses. We emphasize the importance of respecting the principle of non-refoulement and ensuring effective legal safeguards for individuals facing such risks. U.S.A. is failing its international human rights obligations in these specific instances.

On 23 October, Amnesty International warned against returning three people previously deported by the United States to Sierra Leone. The individuals had received US judicial protection against return to their countries of origin because of the risk of serious abuse. The warning concerns possible onward removal, not a confirmed completed return; their current legal status, access to asylum procedures, legal assistance require verification.

Sierra Leone: Risk of repatriation for three US deportees: Abalo Agba, Alfred Kamara, Fatou Traore

On 12 October, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Abalo Agba, Alfred Kamara, Fatou Traore and five other people to Sierra Leone. Prior to their removal, U.S. immigration judges granted them protection from repatriation to their countries of origin because they face serious harm there. Yet, they are currently at immediate risk of being unlawfully returned to their countries of origin by the government of Sierra Leone. The authorities of Sierra Leone must immediately stop their repatriation and allow them access to fair and effective asylum procedures and independent legal counsel. Source: https://www.amnesty.org/zh-hans/documents/afr51/1599/2026/en/ Sources: https://elhak.org/2026/10/25/9858/