A Historical Overview of Legislative Measures to Criminalise Same-Sex Relations in Selected African Countries

by | Aug 25, 2024 | FUND, FUND V30I1

A Historical Overview of Legislative Measures to Criminalise Same-Sex Relations in Selected African Countries

Author John C Mubangizi

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: LLB (Makerere University) LLM (University of Cape Town) LLD (University of KwaZulu-Natal). Professor, Free State Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of the Free State
Source: Fundamina, Volume 30 Issue 1, p. 1-35
https://doi.org/10.47348/FUND/v30/i1a1

Abstract

Same-sex relations are illegal in thirty-two African countries. In some of those countries, offenders are punishable by death. This contribution provides a historical overview of the legislative measures aimed at the criminalisation of same-sex relations in selected African countries, namely Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Botswana and South Africa, and examines its correlation with human rights protection and the rule of law. The legislative measures adopted in these countries originated with colonial influences that introduced anti-same-sex laws there during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The remnants of these colonial-era laws have persisted, shaping the legal landscape and societal attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ communities. Some countries have upheld and reinforced existing laws, often invoking cultural or religious values to justify the criminalisation. Others have made strides towards decriminalisation or have taken steps to protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, reflecting a dynamic interplay between tradition, human rights and legal development. The study also looks at the state of human rights and the rule of law in these countries. The correlation between anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, human rights and the rule of law then becomes a focal point, emphasising the poor record of human rights protection in countries that have criminalised same-sex relations as opposed to countries that have decriminalised such relations. Ultimately, this contribution offers critical insight into the evolving legal landscapes of the selected African countries regarding same-sex relations. It underscores the relationship between anti-LGBTQIA+ laws, human rights and the rule of law.

From Judicial Management to Business Rescue: a Critical Analysis of the Meaning and Purpose of Business Rescue in South Africa Since 1926

by | Aug 25, 2024 | FUND, FUND V30I1

From Judicial Management to Business Rescue: a Critical Analysis of the Meaning and Purpose of Business Rescue in South Africa Since 1926

Author Simphiwe P Phungula

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: LLB LLM PhD (UKZN). Senior lecturer, Commercial Law Department, University of Cape Town
Source: Fundamina, Volume 30 Issue 1, p. 36-67
https://doi.org/10.47348/FUND/v30/i1a2

Abstract

When the concept of “corporate rescue” was introduced in the form of judicial management in South African company law in 1926, it was unique. By the start of the twentieth century, it had become clear that companies were not only major contributors to the economy, but also major employers. It was obviously desirable that companies with economic potential should not be wound up and liquidated if they encountered financial difficulties that could, potentially, be overcome relatively quickly with a return to solvency and viability. That goal, stated in these broad terms, concealed many arising difficulties – one of them being how to determine whether a struggling company had the potential to return to solvency? This and many other difficulties have led to the evolution of corporate rescue since its introduction. Appraising the corporate rescue culture in South Africa is therefore an opportunity to advance knowledge within the area of corporate law and to contribute to the understanding of how business rescue has developed in both theory and practice.

Beyond Legality: The Historical Disregard of the Principle of Legality and its Impact on Forced Marriage Prosecution in International Criminal Law

by | Aug 25, 2024 | FUND, FUND V30I1

Beyond Legality: The Historical Disregard of the Principle of Legality and its Impact on Forced Marriage Prosecution in International Criminal Law

Authors Julian Rebecca Okeyo and Emma Charlene Lubaale

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: LLB (UFH) PGCE LLM (Rhodes). Research assistant, IRPQP, Rhodes University; LLB (Makerere) LLM LLD (Pretoria). Research associate, Faculty of Law, Rhodes University; senior academic, Department of Law and Criminology, University of Greenwich
Source: Fundamina, Volume 30 Issue 1, p. 68-115
https://doi.org/10.47348/FUND/v30/i1a3

Abstract

The principle of legality, a fundamental theme of international criminal law, emphasises that an individual should not be punished for an offence that is not defined by law. Increasingly, international criminal courts and tribunals are disregarding this principle through extending crimes by analogy, an approach that is not supported by the principles of international criminal law. One area where this approach is evident is in the prosecution of the crime of forced marriage, which has never been explicitly proscribed by any of the statues of international criminal tribunals/courts. This contribution first examines the views of the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals to come to grips with the latter’s approach to the principle of legality. Subsequently, a brief analysis of the International Criminal Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia is conducted to highlight a consistent pattern of disregarding the principle of legality. When compared to the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals, the approach of these three courts is unique in that the latter have not classified forced marriage as a distinct crime, choosing instead to include it under crimes against humanity, seemingly suggesting that the principle of legality is not undermined. However, this contribution underscores that this approach is still a violation of the principle of legality. It is argued that the extension of crimes against humanity by analogy represents a continuation of challenges observed by the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals concerning the disregard of the legality principle and that the ongoing prosecution of forced marriage in the absence of a specific criminal provision is a violation of this principle.

The Evolution of Privacy and Data Protection in Kenya

by | Aug 25, 2024 | FUND, FUND V30I1

The Evolution of Privacy and Data Protection in Kenya

Author Mugambi Laibuta

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: LLB (Moi University) LLM (London School of Economics and Political Sciences) PhD (University of the Witwatersrand). Advocate of the High Court of Kenya; Certified Information Privacy Manager
Source: Fundamina, Volume 30 Issue 1, p. 116-165
https://doi.org/10.47348/FUND/v30/i1a4

Abstract

The contribution looks at the right to privacy within Kenya’s legal system by setting out the constitutional, legislative and jurisprudential framework on this right, as well as the right to data protection. The evolution of the rights to privacy and data protection in Kenya have been marked by significant milestones, reflecting global trends and local imperatives. The right to privacy in Kenya has featured in the constitutional text since Kenya gained independence from colonial rule. Conversations during the clamour for constitutional reforms shaped the current constitutional text that provides for an individual right to privacy and has been the springboard for the promulgation of legislation regarding data protection rights. The enactment of the Data Protection Act, 2019 was a pivotal moment, providing a legal framework for the protection of personal data. The Act emphasises the rights of individuals regarding their personal data, including the rights to be informed about the processing thereof, to access it and to its rectification. The Act also provides for baseline data protection principles and grants the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner powers to enforce data subject rights and data protection principles. Other legislation, such as the Children Act and the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act, also provide privacy safeguards. For decades, the Kenyan courts have ruled in favour of the right to privacy. However, despite legislative developments, some statutes regulating national security organs still contain provisions limiting the right to privacy. This contribution describes the past and present status of the rights to privacy and of data protection in Kenya.

In Memoriam: Professor DG Kleyn (1955–2024)

by | Aug 25, 2024 | FUND, FUND V30I1

In Memoriam: Professor DG Kleyn (1955–2024)

Author Emile Zitzke

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: Associate Professor of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Source: Fundamina, Volume 30 Issue 1, p. 166-170

Abstract

Extraordinary. That is the late Professor Duard Kleyn of the University of Pretoria summarised in one word. In this tribute, I will reflect on some of the ways in which Duard embodied extraordinariness in his professional and personal life. I write this as a former student who later became a colleague, mentee and a friend.

The Historical Application of Command Responsibility as Basis for Prosecuting Sexual Violence Crimes Under International Criminal Law: The Post-World War II Criminal Tribunals to Rome

by | Mar 4, 2024 | FUND, FUND V29I2

The Historical Application of Command Responsibility as Basis for Prosecuting Sexual Violence Crimes Under International Criminal Law: The Post-World War II Criminal Tribunals to Rome

Author Brenda Akia

ISSN: 2411-7870
Affiliations: LLB (Makere) LLM (Humboldt/UWC) LLD (Pret). Member of the UN CEDAW Committee
Source: Fundamina, Volume 29 Issue 2, p. 1-32
https://doi.org/10.47348/FUND/v29/i2a1

Abstract

The principle of command responsibility places a legal obligation on military commanders or civilian superiors to take reasonable and necessary steps to prevent and suppress commission of crimes, including sexual violence crimes by persons under their command, or to report to competent authorities if the crimes are committed. This contribution provides a historical analysis of the evolution of the codification and adjudication of command responsibility and its application to prosecute sexual violence crimes under international criminal law. Examining this historical evolution aims to provide legal practitioners with a clear understanding of how the doctrine of command responsibility found its way into contemporary international criminal law treaties, such as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This will assist legal practitioners to successfully apply command responsibility to prosecute sexual violence crimes and to better understand the interplay between international criminal law and international humanitarian law.