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International Commissions of Inquiry, Fact-finding Missions: Mandating authority

UN General Assembly

2016 Syria General Assembly resolution 71/248 of 21 Dec. 2016 International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011

1999

Afghanistan

General Assembly resolution 54/185 of 17 Dec. 1999

OHCHR Investigative team for Afghanistan

1998 Cambodia General Assembly resolution 52/135 of 12 Dec. 1998 Group of experts for Cambodia to evaluate the existing evidence and propose further measures, as a means of bringing about national reconciliation, strengthening democracy and addressing the issue of individual accountability
1973 Mozambique General Assembly resolution 3114 (XXVIII) of 12 Dec. 1973 Commission of inquiry on the reported massacres in Mozambique
1963 Viet Nam General Assembly at the request of the Government of Vietnam A/PV.1239 of 11 Oct. 1963, paras. 170-174 UN Fact-finding mission to South Viet-Nam to ascertain the facts of the situation in that country as regards relations between the Government of the Republic of Viet-Nam and the Viet-Namese Buddhist community

 

UN Security Council

2013 Central African Republic Security Council resolution 2127 (2013) of 5 Dec. 2013  International Commission of Inquiry to investigate events in the Central African Republic since 1 January 2013
2004 Sudan (Darfur) Security Council resolution 1564 (2004) of 18 Sep. 2004 International commission of inquiry on Darfur in order immediately to investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Darfur by all parties
2004 Côte d’Ivoire Security Council S/PRST/2004/17 of 25 May 2004 International commission of inquiry to investigate all human rights violations committed in Côte d’Ivoire
1995 Burundi Security Council resolution 1012 (1995) of 28 Aug. 1995 International commission of inquiry for Burundi 
1994 Rwanda    Security Council resolution 935 (1994) of 1 July 1994 Commission of experts to to examine and analyse the continuing reports indicating that systematic, widespread and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, including acts of genocide, have been committed in Rwanda
1993 Burundi Security Council S/26757  of 16 Nov. 1993 Preparatory fact-finding mission to Burundi to investigate the coup d’état of 21 October 1993, the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, and the subsequent massacres
1993 Liberia Security Council S/25918 of 9 June 1993 Panel of Inquiry on Liberia to conduct a thorough and full investigation of the massacre of the civilians, which occurred near Harbel, Liberia on the morning of 6 June 1993
1992 the former Yugoslavia Security Council resolution 780 (1992) of 6 Oct. 1992 Commission of experts to investigate situation in the former Yugoslavia 
1979 Palestine/Israel   Security Council resolutions 446 (1979) of 22 Mar. 1979, 452(4979) of 20 July 1979, 465 (1980) of 1 Mar. 1980 Security Council Commission concerning Israeli settlements in Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem

 

 

UN Human Rights Council

 

2021 Belarus Human Rights Council  resolution 46/20 of 23 March 2021 OHCHR Fact-finding Mission to Belarus
2020 Libya Human Rights Council  resolution 43/39 of 22 June 2020 Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya
2019 Venezuela Human Rights Council resolution 42/25 of 27 Sept. 2019 Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela
2018 Myanmar Human Rights Council resolution 39/2 of 27 Sept. 2018 Independent mechanism to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyze evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011
2018 Palestine/Israel

Human Rights Council resolution S-28/1 of 22 May 2018

United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the the 2018 protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
2017 Yemen Human Rights Council resolution 36/31 of 29 Sept. 2017 Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen
2017 Democratic Republic of the Congo Human Right Council resolution 35/33 of 23 June 2017 OHCHR Fact-finding mission to the Kasai regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2017 Myanmar Human Rights Council resolution 34/22 of 24 Mar. 2017 International fact-finding mission to Myanmar
2016 Burundi Human  Rights Council resolution 33/24 of 30 Sep. 2016 Commission of Inquiry on human rights in Burundi
2016 South Sudan Human Rights Council resolution S-26/1 of 14 Dec. 2016 United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan
2015 South Sudan Human Rights Council resolution 31/20 of 23 Mar. 2016 United Nations Commission on Human Rights  in South Sudan

2015

Burundi Human  Rights Council resolution S-24/1 of 17 Dec. 2015 OHCHR mission to Burundi to investigate violations and abuses of human rights
2015 South Sudan Human Rights Council resolution 29/13 of 2 July 2015 (in A/70/53, pp. 186-190) OHCHR Assessment mission to improve human rights, accountability and reconciliation for South Sudan
2015 Cameroon, Chad, the Niger, Nigeria - Boko Haram Human Rights Council resolution S-23/1 of 1 April 2015 (in A/70/53, pp. 149-151) OHCHR Fact-finding mission to investigate atrocities committed by the terrorist group Boko Haram and its effects on human rights in the affected States [Cameroon, Chad, the Niger, Nigeria]
2015 Libya Human Rights Council  resolution 28/30 of 27 Mar. 2015 (in A/70/53, pp. 128-132) OHCHR Investigation mission to Libya
2015 Syria Human Rights Council resolution 28/20 of 27 Mar. 2015 (in A/70/53, pp. 13-17) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2014 Iraq Human Rights Council  resolution S-22/1 of 1 Sep. 2014 (in A/69/53/Add.1, pp. 7-9) OHCHR Investigation mission to Iraq
2014 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolution S-21/1 of 23 July 2014 (in A/69/53, pp. 224-227) The United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict
2014 Eritrea Human Rights Council resolution 26/24 of 27 June 2014 (in  A/69/53, pp. 194-198) and 29/18 of 2 July 2015 (in A/70/53, pp. 203-207) Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of human rights in Eritrea
2014 Sri Lanka Human Rights Council resolution 25/1 of 9 Apr. 2014 (in A/69/53, pp. 14-17) OHCHR investigation on Sri-Lanka
2014 Syria Human Rights Council resolution 25/23 of 28 Mar. 2014 (in A/69/53, pp. 190-194) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2013 Central African Republic Human Rights Council resolution 23/18 of 13 June 2013 (in A/68/53, pp. 168-170) OHCHR Fact-finding mission to  Central African Republic
2013 Syria Human Rights Council resolution 22/24 of 22 Mar. 2013 (in A/68/53, pp. 76-81) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2013 Democratic People's Republic of Korea Human Rights Council resolution 22/13 of 21 Mar. 2013 (in A/68/53, pp. 49-51) Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
2013 Mali Human Rights Council resoluion 22/18 of 21 Mar. 2013 (in A/68/53, pp. 59-61) OHCHR Fact-finding mission on the situation of human rights in Mali
2012 Syria Human Rights Council resolution 21/26 of 28 Sep. 2012 (in A/67/53/Add.1, pp. 67-70) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2012 Syria Human Rights Council resolution 19/22 of 23 Mar. 2012 (in A/67/53, pp. 62-66) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2012 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolution 19/17 of 22 Mar. 2012 (in A/67/53, pp. 50-53) Independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
2011 Syria Human Rights Council resolution S-17/1 of 23 Aug. 2011 (in A/66/53, pp. 29-31) Independent international commission of inquiry on Syrian Arab Republic
2011 Syria Human Rights Council resolution S-16/1 of 29 Apr. 2011 (in A/66/53, p. 27-29) OHCHR Fact-finding mission to the Syrian Arab Republic
2011 Côte d'Ivoir Human Rights Council resolution 16/25 of 25 Mar. 2011 (in A/66/53, pp. 9-11) International Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Situation of Human Rights in Côte d'Ivoire
2011 Libya Human Rights Council resolutions S-15/1 of 25 Feb. 2011 (in A/66/53, pp. 25-27) and 17/17 of 17 June 2011 (in A/66/53, pp. 170-171) International Commission of Inquiry on Libya
2010 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolutions 13/9 of 25 Mar. 2010 (in A/65/53, pp.101-103); 15/6 of 29 Sep. 2010 (in A/65/53/Add.1, pp. 24-27) Committee of independent experts to monitor and assess any domestic, legal or other proceedings undertaken by both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian side
2010 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolution 14/1 of 2 June 2010, see A/65/53, pp. 160-161 International fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza
2009 Honduras Human Rights Council resolution 12/14 of 1 Oct. 2009 (in A/65/53, p. 30) OHCHR Mission on situation of human rights in Honduras since the coup d'état on 28 June 2009 
2009 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolution S-9/1 of 12 Jan. 2009 (in A/64/53, pp. 153-156) UN Fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict
2006 Sudan (Darfur) Human Rights Council decision S-4/101 of 13 Dec. 2006 (in A/62/53, p. 87) High-level Mission on the situation of human rights in Darfur
2006 Palestine/Israel Human Rights Council resolution S-3/1 of 15 Nov. 2006 (in A/62/53, pp. 85-86) High-level fact-finding mission to Beit Hanoun
2006   Lebanon Human Rights Council resolution S-2/1 of 11 Aug. 2006 (in A/61/53, pp. 108-110) Commission of inquiry on Lebanon
 

 

 

UN Commission on Human Rights

2000 Palestine/Israel Commission on Human Rights resolution S-5/1 of 19 Oct. 2000 (in E/2000/112, pp. 4-7) Commission of inquiry to gather and compile information on violations of human rights and acts which constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law by the Israeli occupying Power in the occupied Palestinian territories
1999 Timor-Leste Commission on Human Rights resolution S-4/1 of 27 Sep. 1999 (in E/1999/23/Add.1, pp. 4-8) International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor
1997 Democratic Republic of the Congo Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1997/58 of 15 Apr. 1997 (in E/CN.4/1997/150pp. 194-198) ;2000/15 of 18 Apr. 2000 (in E/2000/23, pp.99-105); 2001/19 of 20 Apr. 2001 (in E/2001/23, pp. 114-121) ; 2002/14 of 19 Apr. 2002 (in E/2002/23, pp. 71-78) Joint investigative mission to investigate allegations of massacres and other issues affecting human rights which arise from the situation prevailing In Eastern Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) since September 1996
1997 Guatemala Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/51 of 15 Apr. 1997(in E/1997/23, p. 167) United Nations Mission to Guatemala
1988 Cuba Commission on Human Rights decision 1998/106 of 10 Mar. 1988 (in E/1988/12, p. 168); at the invitation of the Government of Cuba Mission to Cuba to observe the human rights situation
1975 Chile Commission on Human Rights resolution 8 (XXXI) of 27 Feb. 1977 (in E/5635, pp. 66-67) Ad Hoc Working Group to inquire into the situation of human rights in Chile

 

 

UN Secretary-General

2018 Mali UN Secretary-General, 19 Jan. 2018 International Commission of Inquiry for Mali
2010 Sri Lanka UN Secretary-General,SG/SM/12967 of 22 June 2010 Secretary-General's Panel of experts on accountability in Sri Lanka
2009 Guinea UN Secretary-General S/2009/556 of 28 Oct. 2009 International commission of Inquiry on Guinea
2008 Democratic Republic of the Congo UN Secretary-General S/2006/390 of 13 June 2006, para. 54.  Mapping exercise of the most serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between March 1993 and June 2003
2006 Timor-Leste UN Secretary-General upon request of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, S/2006/383 
of 13 June 2006
Independent special commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste
2000 Côte D'Ivoire   UN Secretary-General upon the request of the Government of Côte d'Ivoire Commission d'enquête internationale pour la Côte d'Ivoire
2000 Togo UN Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of African Unity upon request of the Government of Togo  Commission of inquiry for Togo 
1997 Democratic Republic of the Congo UN Secretary-General S/1997/617 of 6 Aug. 1997 UN Investigative team charged with investigating serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo committed since March 1993
1993 Abkhazia (Georgia) UN Secretary-General Fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in Abkhazia, Republic of Georgia 

 

 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

2017 Myanmar High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR mission to Bangladesh to interview Rohingyas who had entered Bangladesh from northern Rakhine State (Myanmar) in the aftermath of the 9 October 2016 attacks
2009 Nepal High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal conflict mapping
2008   Kenya High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR Fact-finding mission to Kenya to look into the violence and allegations of grave human rights violations following the presidential elections in December 2007
2006 Afghanistan High Commissioner for Human Rights Afghanistan conflict mapping
2006 Morocco High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR mission to Western Sahara and refugee camps in Tindouf
2005 Togo High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR fact-finding mission to Togo
2005 Uzbekistan High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR mission to Kyrgyzstan to investigate serious violations of human rights in Andijan, Uzbekistan in May 2005
2004 Côte d'Ivoire Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, upon request of the UN Secretary-General Commission of Inquiry on the events connected with the march planned for 25 March 2004 in Abidjan 
2004 Darfur (Sudan)(Darfur) Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR Fact-finding mission to Darfur
2002 Colombia High Commissioner for Human Rights  upon the request of the Government of Colombia OHCHR inquiry into alleged massacre in the Chocó region of Colombia
2002 Côte d'Ivoire High Commissioner for Human Rights, upon request of the UN Secretary-General OHCHR Fact-finding mission to Côte d'Ivoire to compile information on the human rights and humanitarian situation 
1998 Afghanistan High Commissioner for Human Rights OHCHR Exploratory mission to Afghanistan to determine the feasibility of an investigation into allegations of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed in Afghanistan in the course of 1997 

 

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