Spain's accelerating effort to send back unaccompanied children who enter the country illegally might subject them to danger, ill-treatment and detention.

Fourteen abuse victims, backed by a coalition of African and international rights groups, today filed complaints with a Senegalese prosecutor accusing the former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré of crimes against humanity and torture.

Senegal’s adoption today of a constitutional amendment confirming that Senegalese courts can prosecute past crimes against humanity lifts any legal obstacles to the trial of former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré, Human Rights Watch said today.

During its upcoming summit, the African Union should ask Senegal to explain why little progress has been made in the two years since it mandated Senegal to prosecute former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré, eight human rights organizations said today. The African Union is holding its bi-annual summit here on June 30 and July 1.

(Geneva, May 16, 2008) – Two years after a United Nations committee requested that Senegal prosecute or extradite the former dictator of Chad, Hissène Habré, no action has been taken, six human rights organizations said today. Habré fled to Senegal after he was deposed in 1990.

We write to draw your attention to Senegal’s long delay in opening proceedings against the former President of Chad, Hissène Habré. We appeal to the African and international communities to encourage Senegal to discharge the mandate it was given by the African Union, and to respect the decision issued by the United Nations Committee against Torture almost two years ago, calling for the trial of Hissène Habré.

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.

The arrival of a European Union delegation in Dakar on Monday to assist Senegal in preparing the trial of Hissène Habré will boost efforts to bring the former Chadian dictator to justice, a group of African and international human rights organizations said today.