FOUR HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS TO VISIT LEBANON AND ISRAEL

6 September 2006

The Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Walter Kälin; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Philip Alston; the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt; and the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, Miloon Kothari, will visit Lebanon and Israel on a fact-finding mission from 7 to 13 September 2006.

The independent human rights experts will gather first-hand information, establish facts and conduct an impartial legal analysis of the persistent allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law during the recent conflict in order to make specific recommendations to the concerned authorities. The four will submit a joint report on their mission to the session of the Human Rights Council to be held later this month.

In Lebanon (7 to 10 September) and in Israel (10 to 13 September), the experts will meet with relevant government officials and representatives of civil society. They will also visit locations that have witnessed attacks in the past few weeks and meet there with victims, their relatives and other witnesses.