The right to return to one's country in Africa: Article 12(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

SUMMARY At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic many African countries barred people, including citizens and foreign nationals, from entering or leaving their territories. This was the case although article 12(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights provides that '[ejvery individual shall have the right to leave any country including his own, and to return to his country'. However, article 12(2) also provides that '[t]his right may only be subject to restrictions, provided for by law for the protection of national security, law and order, public health or morality'. Article 12(2) of the African Charter provides for the rights both to leave and to return to one's country. In this article the discussion is limited to the right to return. Unlike other regional human rights treaties in Europe, the Americas and the Arab world where the right to return to or enter one's country is reserved for citizens only, the African Charter does not expressly limit this right to citizens. This raises the question of whether the right to return to one's country is reserved for citizens or nationals only. In answering this question, one of two arguments could be made. The first argument is that the right to return under article 12(2) is reserved for citizens only (the strict approach). The second argument is that it is applicable to both citizens and to a few categories of foreign nationals (the broader approach). The jurisprudence of the African Commission and the African Court shows that these bodies have adopted the strict approach. This could be attributed to the fact that the communications they have so far dealt with have been filed by citizens (de jure or de facto,) or on behalf of citizens. However, these bodies are likely to adopt a broad approach should the facts of the case(s) so require. In the constitutions of most African countries, states have also taken a strict approach. This article explains why it is better to take a broader approach when dealing with article 12(2) of the African Charter. This argument is made by partly comparing and contrasting article 12(2) of the African Charter with other regional and international instruments that protect the right to return. The article also demonstrates how the right to enter or return to one's county has been approached in the constitutions of different African countries. Key words: return; article 12(2); African Charter; one's country; entry; African Court; African Commission