Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.

Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. In particular, the OIC should consider two amendments to the Convention to narrow its overbroad definition of terrorism and make absolutely clear that there is no sanction in Islam for deliberately attacking civilians, whatever the circumstances or justifications.

Human Rights Watch writes to Minister of Justice Amadou Ali urging the immediate protection from abuse and release from jail of eleven men who have been detained apparently on suspicion of consensual homosexual activity. These men have already experienced the abuse of fundamental human rights and now face the prospect of additional and compounded violations. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly documented the application and impact of the practice of forced forensic physical examinations of men which are designed to "prove" they have engaged in homosexual conduct.

U.S. President George W. Bush will be traveling to Africa from July 7-12, visiting Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, and Nigeria. This packet from Human Rights Watch includes material for each stop along the way.

West African governments are failing to address a rampant traffic in child labor that could worsen with the region’s growing AIDS crisis.