The United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday appointed former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of Gambia, Kenyan lawyer Kaari Betty Murungi and Steven Ratner of the United States of America to serve as the three members of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia.
The President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Federico Villegas announced that Ms. Bensouda will serve as Chair of the three-person Commission.
A statement from the council stated that the commission was established through a resolution last December to conduct an impartial investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law in Ethiopia committed since 3 November 2020 by all parties to the conflict.
The commission will also ‘establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and abuses, collect and preserve evidence, to identify those responsible, where possible, and to make such information accessible and usable in support of ongoing and future accountability efforts.’
The commission will also build upon the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and make recommendations on technical assistance to the Government of Ethiopia in support of accountability, reconciliation, and healing, the statement said.
The Commissioners, who will serve in their personal capacities, were also requested to present an oral briefing to the Human Rights Council at its 50th session in June/July 2022 and a written report at its 51st session in September/October this year.