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Banjul (Republic of The Gambia): As part of the 87th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, an event dedicated to the issue of the “predatory recruitment” of foreign fighters into the Russian army took place. During the event, the report “Combatants, Mercenaries or Victims of Human Trafficking?” — jointly prepared by Truth Hounds, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and regional partners — was presented. In particular, the discussion focused on Russia’s recruitment efforts in African countries. The event was organized by the FIDH. Among the participants was Maria Tomak, advocacy expert and engaged researcher at Truth Hounds.
Combatants, Mercenaries or Victims of Human Trafficking? Russia’s Exploitation of Foreign Fighters in Its War Against Ukraine
The Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Hon. Idrissa Sow, noted that the issue of “predatory recruitment” is relatively new for the Commission, as this topic had previously not been raised within the sessions. At the same time, he expressed concern regarding this phenomenon and preliminary readiness on the part of the Commission to engage various mechanisms to address it — both urgent response measures and longer-term mechanisms, including the adoption of a resolution and the launch of the Commission’s own study of the phenomenon on the Russia’s recruitment in Africa.
Speakers at the discussion also included Ilya Nuzov, Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at FIDH and co-author of the report. The event was attended by Bibiana Wangari Waithaka, the mother of a Kenyan citizen who was deceptively recruited into the Russian army through promises of civilian work in Russia and later killed on the battlefield; and Kenyan journalist Rosemary Tollo, who investigates Russian recruitment practices in Kenya and other African countries (online). The discussion was moderated by Stella Ndirangu, African Union Advocacy Lead of FIDH.
The audience included dozens of representatives of civil society organizations and journalists from across Africa, including Senegal, Ghana, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and other countries.
For Truth Hounds, this was the organization’s first appearance on an African human rights platform in Banjul.
“The distance between Kyiv and Banjul, where the Commission is based, is more than 7,000 kilometers, but Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is being felt here as well. In 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which affected many countries around the world, including those on the African continent, through the food crisis. And this destructive impact continues today through Russia’s ‘predatory recruitment’ of African youth,”
— said Maria Tomak
“Russia is not a friend of Africa. Russia exploits Africans to feed its war machine in Ukraine, in violation of international law. While states of origin must do everything in their power to prevent recruitment of foreign fighters, dismantle recruitment networks and prosecute individual recruiters, it is Russia that must be held responsible as a state that organizes and encourages the practice,“
— emphasized Ilya Nuzov
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We are grateful to our colleagues at FIDH, who work systematically with the African Commission and on human rights issues across the African continent, for organizing the event and inviting us to participate.
