GENEVA (12 January 2023) - The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina from 13 to 20 January 2023.

During her visit, the independent expert is scheduled to meet Government representatives, law enforcement officials, members of parliament, policy specialists and representatives of the Human Rights Ombudsman institution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ní Aoláin will also visit detention centres to interview people suspected or convicted of terrorism related activities and violent extremism.

The Special Rapporteur’s visit will include a component on repatriations, including the identification of good practices in the return, rehabilitation and reintegration of foreign fighters, and women and children with alleged links to designated terrorist groups.

The expert will share her preliminary observations during a press conference on Friday 20 January at 13h00 local time at the UN House, Zmaja od Bosne b.b., 71000, Sarajevo. Access to the press conference is limited to journalists.

A comprehensive report of the Special Rapporteur’s findings and recommendations will be presented to the Human Rights Council in March 2024.

ENDS

Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism by the United Nations Human Rights Council. She took up her functions on 1 August 2017. Ms. Ní Aoláin is concurrently Regents Professor and Robina Professor of Law, Public Policy and Society at the University of Minnesota Law School and Professor of Law at the Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her mandate covers all countries and has most recently been renewed by Human Rights Council resolution 49/10.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights country page: Bosnia and Herzegovina