The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), based in Arusha, Tanzania, has elected Justice Modibo Sacko of Mali as its new President. The announcement, spotted by BigFamily News, was made via the Court’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. Justice Sacko succeeds Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud of Tanzania, who served as President for five years since her election in 2021.
Previously, Justice Sacko served as Vice President under Lady Justice Aboud. Justice Imani Daud Aboud of Tanzania concluded her four-year term as President, while Justice Modibo Sacko of Mali completed two consecutive two-year terms as Vice President. Justices Aboud and Sacko were initially elected to their respective roles in 2021 during the Court’s 61st Session and re-elected for a final term in 2023, in accordance with the Court’s rules limiting leadership to a maximum of two terms.
Justice Aboud is the first woman from East Africa to serve as president of the Court. She succeeded Justice Sylvain Oré of Côte d’Ivoire, while Justice Sacko took over from Justice Ben Kioko of Kenya. In related news, Justice Bensaoula Chafika from Algeria has been elected as the new Vice President of the African Court, succeeding Justice Sacko of Mali.
The new court officials were elected by a panel of 11 judges through a secret ballot at the AfCHPR premises in Majengo, Arusha, during its 77th Ordinary Session. Their terms as President and Vice President commenced on Monday, June 2, 2025, replacing Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud of Tanzania and Justice Modibo Sacko of Mali. Sacko was elected in 2021 before being secured to a second term in 2023.
Participating Judges
The participating judges included former President Justice Aboud, the new President Justice Sacko, and Justices Blaise Tchikaya (Congo-Brazzaville), Rafaâ Ben Achour (Tunisia), Tujilane Rose Chizumila (Malawi), Dumisa Ntsebeza (South Africa), Stella Isibhakhomen Anukam (Nigeria), Angela Mudukuti (Zimbabwe), Naceesay Salla-Wadda (The Gambia), Koffi Afande (Togo), and Aboudou Assouma (Benin). The President of the Court resides and works full time at its seat, while the ten other judges work on a part-time basis.
The AfCHPR was established to protect and promote human and peoples’ rights across Africa, in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Created through a protocol adopted in 1998, it became operational in 2006 and is based in Arusha, Tanzania. The Court collaborates with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, providing binding rulings on cases involving alleged human rights violations. The court’s 11 judges are elected by the African Union’s Assembly of Heads of State and Government based on their integrity and expertise in human rights law. They serve in their personal capacity. The Court can hear cases filed by states, the Commission, and intergovernmental organizations.
Under specific conditions, individuals and NGOs with observer status before the Commission may also bring cases, provided the concerned state has accepted this under Article 34(6) of the Protocol.
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About Justice Modibo Sacko
Hon. Justice Sacko Modibo, a Malian citizen, was elected to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in February 2021 for a six-year term. He became the Court’s Vice President in July 2023, serving a two-year term.
Justice Sacko holds multiple law degrees, including two doctorates. His 2019 private law thesis focused on “The repression of human rights violations in times of armed conflict: the case of Mali,” and his 2023 public law thesis explored “Intelligence in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”
He has authored numerous publications on human rights, international humanitarian law, transitional justice, strategic litigation, money laundering, and terrorism financing. Justice Sacko has also completed extensive professional training in human rights, international humanitarian law, gender issues, international security, peacekeeping, and combating transnational organized crime.
Before his election to the African Court, Justice Sacko held various judicial roles in Mali, including Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, specializing in human rights, public freedoms, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorism financing. He was also seconded to Mali’s National Financial Information Processing Unit (CENTIF) and served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Mali prior to his current role.
Beyond his judicial duties, he is a guest lecturer at the René Cassin Foundation’s summer course on human rights and international humanitarian law in Strasbourg. He also lectures on international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and criminal law at several Malian universities, military academies, and the Malian National Police Academy.
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