Nils Melzer: Appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by the Human Rights Council and assumed his functions on 1 November 2016
Background: Melzer is the Human Rights Chair of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. He is also Professor of International Law at the University of Glasgow. Throughout his career, Prof. Melzer has fought to preserve human dignity and the rule of law through the relentless promotion, reaffirmation and clarification of international legal standards offering protection to those exposed to armed conflicts and other situations of violence.
It covers all countries, irrespective of whether a State has ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The mandate comprises three main activities:
- transmitting urgent appeals to States with regard to individuals reported to be at risk of torture, as well as communications on past alleged cases of torture;
- undertaking fact-finding country visits; and
- submitting annual reports on activities, the mandate and methods of work to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
Download his most recent report [1]
Submission Instructions:
For Allegations: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/Allegation.aspx [2]
For Urgent Appeals: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/Appeals.aspx [3]