Membership

The Human Rights Committee is composed of 18 independent experts, who are persons of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights.

Members are elected for a term of four years by States parties in accordance with articles 28 to 39 of the Covenant. Members serve in their personal capacity and may be re-elected if nominated. Regular scheduled elections are held to replace members of the Committee when their terms expire.

By-elections are held in extraordinary Meetings of States parties to fill a casual vacancy arising from the resignation or death of a member of the Human Rights Committee. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is unique amongst the human rights treaties in providing for elections to be organized to fill casual vacancies.

The members elect the Committee’s officers for terms of two years. These officers are:

• the Committee’s Chair, with overall responsibility for the conduct of the Committee’s work;
• three Vice-Chairs;
• the Rapporteur, who prepares the Committee’s annual report to the General Assembly.

In addition, the following Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Committee to perform specific functions:

• The Special Rapporteurs on New Communications, whose functions include the registration of new complaints under the Optional Protocol and such preliminary issues as requests for interim measures of protection that may be necessary to prevent irreparable harm in a case presented to the Committee;
• The Special Rapporteur and the Deputy Special Rapporteur on Follow-up to Views, who monitors the implementation of the Committee’s decisions on the merits of individual cases;
• The Special Rapporteur and the Deputy Special Rapporteur for follow-up to concluding observations, who is tasked with the Committee’s procedure of follow-up with respect to individual State party reports considered by the Committee; and
• The Rapporteur on reprisals, who receive and assess allegations of acts of intimidations and reprisals.

There are also officers who act as focal points to liaise with other Committees and regional human rights mechanisms. Find the full list in the most recent annual report.

• Information on Human Rights Committee members from 1977 to present
• Information on former Human Rights Committee Bureau members from 1977 to 2023