The IHFFC is recognised by 76 States, including Switzerland. It is is made up of 15 members elected every five years by the states that have recognised its competence.
The IHFFC is competent to investigate grave breaches and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocol I of 1977. It stands at the service of parties to an armed conflict to conduct investigations and to facilitate, through its good offices, the restoration of an attitude of respect for international humanitarian law.
In its capacity as depositary of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Switzerland runs the IHFFC's secretariat and organises its elections.
To elect the new members, the FDFA's Directorate of International Law (DIL) convened the 76 States that have recognised the IHFFC's competence for a meeting in Bern.
Result of the election of members on 19 November 2021
On 19 November 2021, the states present at the meeting elected, for a term of five years, the 15 members of the IHFFC (in alphabetical order of their state of origin):
Algeria Mr RACHID BELHADJ
Argentina Mr HOLGER FEDERICO MARTINSEN
Belgium Mr VAIOS KOUTROULIS
Chile Mr ALFREDO LABBÉ
Costa Rica Ms DYANNE MARENCO GONZALEZ
Germany Mr THILO MARAUHN
Madagascar Ms TATIANA EDDIE RAZAFINDRAVAO
Mongolia Mr SUKHBOLD SUKHEE
Poland Ms ELŻBIETA MIKOS-SKUZA
Portugal Mr MATEUS KOWALSKI
Qatar Ms NOOR IBRAHIM AL-SADA
Slovakia Ms KATARÍNA ŠMIGOVÁ
Sweden Ms ÅSA MOLDE
United Arab Emirates Mr MOHAMED AL KAMALI
United Kingdom Mr ROBIN MCNEILL LOVE
The newly composed IHFFC will take office at its next annual meeting in March 2022. Each member serves in a personal capacity on the basis of the principle of impartiality.
Further information:
International law, FDFA
International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC)
Address for enquiries:
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
