Swearing in third member of Human Rights Advisory Panel

15 Nov 2012

Swearing in third member of Human Rights Advisory Panel

Swearing in third member of Human Rights Advisory Panel
 
A new Member of the UNMIK Human Rights Advisory Panel (HRAP), Françoise Tulkens, was sworn into office by Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Farid Zarif. 
 
The ceremony was attended by Marek A. Nowicki, HRAP’s Presiding member, Christine Chinkin, a HRAP member, and Ernst E. Tschoepke, UNMIK acting Chief of Staff.
 
The ceremony was followed by a short discussion on matters related to the HRAP . “With the inclusion of Mrs. Tulkens, the Panel is again at full complement,” said SRSG Zarif, emphasizing the importance and the role of the HRAP. The HRAP’s main function is to examine complaints of alleged human rights violations committed by or attributable to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). 
 
Ms. Tulkens, former vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights, has a Doctorate in Law, a Master’s degree in Criminology, and a Higher education teaching certificate (agrégation de l’enseignement supérieur) in Law. She was a Professor at the University of Louvain (Belgium) and has taught as a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Geneva, Montreal, Ottawa, Paris I, Rennes, Strasbourg and Louisiana State University in the fields of general criminal law, comparative and European criminal law, juvenile justice, and human rights protection systems. She holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Geneva, Limoges, and Ottawa. She has authored many publications in the areas of human rights and criminal law. 
 
Ms. Tulkens joined the HRAP, succeeding Paul Lemmens who served as a Panel Member since its inception in January 2007. He resigned from his position on 13 September 2012 to join the European Court of Human Rights as a judge in Belgium.
 
The Human Rights Advisory Panel is composed of three Panel Members who sit in Pristina everymonth to render verdictson complaints against UNMIK. The Presiding Member directs the work of the Panel whilethe Secretariat provides legal and administrative support. Once the cases have been examined, the Panel makes recommendations to the SRSG, when appropriate.
 
The Panel continues to work on resolving pending cases.
 
 
Story by: Shpend Bërbatovci
Photo: ©UNMIK-DPI/Shpend Bërbatovci