Letter: Special Rapporteur for
Human Rights in Iraq
Hans von Sponeck, TFF Board member
Navanethem Pillay
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Schweiz
3 November 2008
Dear Ms. Pillay,
In June of 2007 Denis Halliday and I, as two former UN Coordinators for Iraq, wrote to your predecessor (see attachments) asking for her support for the appointment of a Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iraq.
We fully understand UNHCHR’s difficulties with regard to country-specific human rights reporting. However, another year has passed and the list of country-specific human rights rapporteurs continues to show no appointment for Iraq.
As your colleagues in Baghdad undoubtedly are conveying to you, conditions in Iraq remain highly volatile. The human rights picture is blurred with many serious shortcomings. Information from Iraqis whom we have known for many years suggests that human rights abuses remain rife. The appointment by the Human Rights Council of a Special Rapporteur for Iraq would give this reality the prominence it needs. The statement at the 9th Session of the Council by the PR of Russia to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Valery Loshchinin in support of such an appointment constitutes an encouragement for the many human rights groups around the world which have for a long time demanded an appointment of a rapporteur for Iraq.
In writing to you to-day, we are seeking your support in bringing about such an appointment. Should you wish, we are prepared to come to Geneva to discuss this matter further.
With all good wishes for your important work,
Yours sincerely,
Hans von Sponeck
(also on behalf of Denis Halliday)
And here the answer from the UNHCHR of January 22, 2009
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