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Swiss international law expert, Walter Kälin, elected to the UN Human Rights Committee
18.01.2012On 17 January 2012, the States Parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights elected Walter Kälin, Professor of Constitutional and International Law at the University of Bern, as member of the UN Human Rights Committee. The Committee monitors the States Parties’ compliance with the Covenant. Walter Kälin replaces the Swiss international law professor, Helen Keller, who resigned after being appointed judge at the European Court for Human Rights in 2011.
The mandate that Prof Kälin takes over lasts until 2014. Walter Kälin is one of the leading specialists in the field of international human rights protection and was previously a member of the Committee from 2003 to 2008. In addition to other functions, from 2004 to 2010 he was Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.
The 18-member UN Human Rights Committee, which is composed of independent experts and convenes alternatively in Geneva and New York, deals exclusively with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is not to be confused with the United Nations Human Rights Council which is a body of 47 member States that reports to the United Nations General Assembly and is based in Geneva.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Internet: http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/recent/media.html
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Last modification: 20.09.2011