La Corte africana dei diritti dell’uomo e dei popoli tra trasparenza, media e opinione pubblica

Abstract

This article examines the institutional communication of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It argues that, in the African context, communication is not merely ancillary or symbolic, but functions as a strategic tool for visibility, access, legitimation and, indirectly, for the effectiveness of the Court’s jurisdiction. After reconstructing the structural reasons that make communication especially relevant for the African Court, the article explores its relationship with journalists, outreach activities, digital tools, social media and the educational dimension of judicial communication. The analysis stresses the gradual construction of a public sphere for African human rights justice and, at the same time, the risks of advocacy, public self-accreditation and procedural opacity. The article argues that judicial communication should remain consistent with the adjudicative function and be grounded in accuracy, restraint, pluralism and transparency.

Keywords: African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Institutional communication; Transparency; Media; Public opinion.