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Special Rapporteur on truth, justice and reparation

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Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence

Purpose of the mandate

In situations of transition from conflict or authoritarian rule where there have been gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the measures adopted by the relevant authorities to guarantee truth, justice, reparation, memory and guarantees of non-recurrence, with the aim to:

  • Ensure accountability and serve justice;
  • Promote truth and memory about past violations;
  • Provide remedies to victims;
  • Reform the national institutional and legal framework and promote the rule of law in accordance with international human rights law, and restore confidence in the institutions of the State;
  • Ensure social cohesion, nation-building, ownership and inclusiveness at the national and local levels; and promote healing and reconciliation;
  • Prevent the recurrence of crises and future violations of human rights.

About the mandate

On 29 September 2011, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 18/7, in which it decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. In 2023, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 54/8, which extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further period of three years.

Read more on the history of the mandate

Current mandate holder

Mr. Bernard Duhaime took up his functions as Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence on 1 May 2024, succeeding Mr. Fabián Salvioli. He is Full Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM, Montreal, Canada), where he specializes in international human rights and humanitarian law. 

Read Mr. Bernard Duhaime’s full biography

Contact Information

Mr. Bernard Duhaime 
Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth,
justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence,
OHCHR-UNOG, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneve 10, Switzerland

Fax: + 41 22 917 9006
Email: hrc-sr-truth@un.org

Former mandate holders


Mr. Pablo de Greiff (Colombia)
2012 - 2018

Mr. Fabian Salvioli (Argentina)
2018 - 2024
 

Activities

Joint statement with the IACHR: Undue Pardons, Commutations of sentences, and Prison Benefits are a form of Impunity for Gross Human Rights Violations
24 March 2024

Preliminary Observations - Visit to Armenia (16 to 24 November 2023)
(PDF): English | Armenian
24 November 2023

Contemporary Perspectives on Transitional Justice Issues (User friendly version)

States in the Americas Must Engage Victims and Civil Society in the Development of Public Policies on Memory
(PDF): English | Spanish
March 2022

COVID-19, prison overcrowding, and serving sentences for serious human rights violations
May 2020

Brazil: Information note on regional court’s decision on Herzog case (Word): English |Portuguese

Videos

Video of the Special Rapporteur in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the creation of the mandate
September 2021
Watch commemorative video

HRC 48th session - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur
September 2021
Watch the dialogue on UN Web TV

GA 75th session – Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur October 2020
Watch the dialogue on UN Web TV

HRC 45th session - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur
September 2020
Watch the 8th Meeting on UN Web TV

GA 74th session (3rd Committee) - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur October 2019
Watch the dialogue on UN Web TV 

HRC 42nd session - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur
September 2019
Watch the 8th Meeting on UN Web TV
Watch the 9th Meeting on UN Web TV

Straight talk on transitional justice and prevention
March 2018
Watch on YouTube