UN Rights Council appoints fact-finding mission team for Sudan

December 19, 2023 (GENEVA) – The UN Human Rights Council has announced the appointment of Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania, Joy Ezeilo of Nigeria and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland as independent members of the new Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan.

The Human Rights Council established the Fact-Finding Mission in October, “to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against refugees, and related crimes in the context of the ongoing armed conflict that began on 15 April 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as other warring parties.”

The Mission was further requested to collect and analyse evidence in view of any future legal proceedings; to identify, where possible, individuals and entities responsible; and to make recommendations with a view to ending impunity and ensuring accountability and access to justice for victims.

The President of the Human Rights Council sought recommendations from various stakeholders and expressions of interest to find highly qualified and impartial candidates to fill these positions. The Mission members will serve in their personal capacities and will not be paid salaries for their work.

The Council requested the Fact-Finding Mission to provide an oral update on their findings followed by an interactive dialogue at the Council’s fifty-sixth session, in June-July 2024.

It also requested the Mission to present a comprehensive report at the Council’s fifty-seventh session, in September-October 2024, and to submit those findings to the UN General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, in October 2024.

(ST)