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This policy brief examines the misuse of electric shock equipment by law enforcement agencies in Africa, arguing that such tools often facilitate torture and ill-treatment in violation of international and regional human rights frameworks. It specifically analyzes the legal landscape of anti-torture commitments in Africa and provides a detailed case study on the South African Police Service (SAPS), recommending the prohibition of handheld and body-worn electric shock devices.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the implementation of the gacaca process in Rwanda, a system of community-based courts designed to prosecute perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. It details the transition from a pilot phase to a national rollout, the legal framework established by the 2001 and 2004 laws, and the significant challenges regarding judicial rigour, prison capacity, and national reconciliation.