Martin Scheinin appointed special rapporteur on counter-terrorism for the UN Commission on Human Rights

Press release 234/2005
29 July, 2005


Professor Martin Scheinin, Director of the Institute for Human Rights at the Åbo Akademi University, has been appointed special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism for the UN Commission on Human Rights. Professor Scheinin is the first person to hold this new UN position. He has previously served, for instance, as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, the UN body monitoring the implementation of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

It is a question of a very significant and topical assignment, the establishment of which was among the most significant achievements of the UN Commission on Human Rights this year. The decision to establish the position for a period of three years was made unanimously. The decision was confirmed by the UN Economic and Social Council on 25 July, and the appointment was made in Geneva on 28 July by the permanent UN representative of Indonesia, who acts as chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

The primary tasks of the special rapporteur are to make recommendations and give advice to states on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism, and to gather information about possible violations of human rights, for instance, through country visits. The special rapporteur must also promote best practices, report regularly to the Commission on Human Rights and the UN General Assembly, and act in close cooperation with other human rights mechanisms.

The special rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights are independent and non-attached experts, who form a network of experts working in support of the Commission on Human Rights. At the moment, the Commission has approximately 40 special rapporteurs or independent experts, who are
monitoring the realisation of human rights in different parts of the world according to either a particular theme or a country. Besides producing necessary information for the Commission on Human Rights, the network of experts can also make urgent interventions in case of individual human rights violations. The network of experts is among the most significant strengths of the Commission on Human Rights, and maintaining its position is considered extremely important as the UN is in the process of reforming its human rights activities.

The Commission on Human Rights resolution "Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism 2005/80", by which the task of the special rapporteur was established, can be read on the website of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at www.ohchr.org (Opens New Window). The website also contains information about the other special rapporteurs and experts of the Commission on Human Rights.

Additional information: First Secretary Satu Suikkari, tel. +358 9 1605 5068, +358 40 530 4867, and Special Adviser Rauno Merisaari, tel. +358 9 1605 6177, +358 40 838 2960, Unit for Human Rights Policy