News Archive

  ·  19 May 2017
International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission to lead an independent forensic investigation in Eastern Ukraine (Luhansk province)  [19/05/2017]
Bern/19.05.17 – The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) was asked by the OSCE to lead an independent forensic investigation in relation to the incident of 23 April 2017 that occurred in Pryshyb (Luhansk Province) and caused the death of a paramedic and the injury of two monitors of its Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM).

On 18 May 2017 the Secretary General of the OSCE Lamberto Zannier and the President of the IHFFC Thilo Marauhn signed a memorandum of understanding between the two organizations, followed by a distinct agreement relating to the incident. Based on the terms of reference agreed therein, the purpose of the independent forensic investigation is to establish the facts of the incident by conducting a post-blast scene forensic and technical assessment against the background of international humanitarian law. While the investigation will be guided by the applicable rules of international humanitarian law, criminal responsibility and accountability for the explosion is outside its scope.

Ambassador Alfredo Labbé (Chile), Vice-President of the IHFFC, will lead the investigation team. The other members of the team will be proposed by the IHFFC and selected by the team leader in consultation with the OSCE Secretary General.

The team will conduct its investigation confidentially and will report to the OSCE Secretary General only.

  ·  11 May 2017
International Conference on “Victims of Armed Conflicts at the Juncture of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law” [11/05/2017]
Budapest, 11 May 2017

In order to highlight the critical role of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) in international humanitarian law, Thilo Marauhn, President of the IHFFC, gave a presentation on the work of the Commission during the international conference on “Victims of armed conflicts at the juncture of international humanitarian law and human rights law”.

The conference was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Distinguished representatives and experts from various universities and governments attended the conference.

  ·  28 April 2017
International Humanitarian Law in Asia: Regional Conference on Generating Respect for the Law [28/04/2017]
Singapore, 27-28 April 2017

In order to underscore the important contribution of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) to implementing and ensuring respect for international humanitarian law in armed conflict situations, Shuichi Furuya, Member of the IHFFC, gave a speech at the conference, “International Humanitarian Law in Asia: Regional Conference on Generating Respect for the Law”. He was invited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The conference, which was hosted by the ICRC and the S. Rajaratinam School of International Studies, was attended by distinguished diplomats, military legal experts, and members of stakeholder organizations.

  ·  22 February 2017
Annual Meeting of the Commission [22/02/2017]
The International Humanitarian Fact-finding Commission (IHFFC) held its annual meeting from 20 to 22 February in Geneva.This was the first meeting of the IHFFC members since their election, held last December, by the 76 States parties to the First Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions that have recognised the Commission's competence.

During this annual meeting, the members have elected the bureau of the Commision, composed of Prof. Thilo Marauhn (Germany), President; Dr. Elzbieta Mikos-Skuza (Poland), 1st Vice-President; Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Al Kamali (United Arab Emirates), Vice-President; Dr. Robin McNeill Love (United Kingdom), Vice-President and Ambassador Alfredo Labbé (Chile), Vice-President.

  ·  16 February 2017
Munich Security Conference Side Event “Health security: Are we ready or not?”  [16/02/2017]
Munich, 16 February 2017

Gisela Perren-Klingler, Member of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC), attended the side event, “Health security: Are we ready or not?”, at the Munich Security Conference. She took the floor and presented the work and mission of the IHFFC.

The side event was co-organised by the Bill Gates Foundation, Chatham House and the Munich Security Conference.

  ·  08 December 2016
Diplomatic Meeting of 8 December 2016, Bern - Election of the 15 members of the IHFFC and amendments of the Financial Procedures  [08/12/2016]
At the invitation of Switzerland, the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, the fifth diplomatic meeting was held in Bern on 8 December 2016, during which the members of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission were elected. The 76 States Parties to the first Additional Protocol of 1977 to the Geneva Convention accepting the competence of the Commission were entitled to participate in this election.
68 States took part in the meeting under the chairmanship of Ambassador Jürg Lindenmann Deputy Director of the Directorate of International Law DIL of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA and the vice-chairmanship of H.E Ambassador Antonio Trombetta, Ambassador of Argentina in Bern.

After the first ballot the following candidates were elected (in the alphabetical order of their state of origin):

Mr RACHID BELHADJ, Algeria
Mr MARIO J.A. OYARZÁBAL, Argentina
Mr ALFREDO LABBÉ, Chile
Mr THILO MARAUHN, Germany
Mr STELIOS PERRAKIS, Greece
Mrs RÉKA VARGA, Hungary
Mr SHUICHI FURUYA, Japan
Mr JUSTINAS ŽILINSKAS, Lithuania
Mrs ELŻBIETA MIKOS-SKUZA, Poland
Mr ABDULLA RASHID S. A. AL-NAIMI, Qatar
Mr FRANCISCO REY MARCOS, Spain
Mrs ÅSA MOLDE, Sweden
Mrs LAURENCE BOILLAT, Switzerland
Mr MOHAMED MAHMOUD AL KAMALI, United Arab Emirates
Mr ROBIN M C MCNEILL LOVE, United Kingdom

For the final results containing the number of votes obtained by the elected candidates including the absolute majority and the list of participants, please click here.
The newly-formed Commission was elected for a term of office of five years and will enter into function at its first annual meeting planned to take place on 20-22 February 2017 in Geneva.
During this diplomatic meeting, the 68 participating States have also unanimously adopted amendments of the Financial Procedures proposed by the Depositary. To consult these amendments, please click here.

Documents:

Final Results (First Ballot incl. absolute majority)
List of participants

  ·  21 October 2016
6th Committee UN General Assembly, New York [21/10/2016]
Statement before the 6th Committee UN General Assembly, New York, October 7th 2016

  ·  07 September 2016
Diplomatic meeting of the States accepting the competence of the IHFFC [07/09/2016]
Diplomatic meeting of the States accepting the competence of the IHFFC will take place on December 8th 2016 in Bern. In its capacity as Depositary Switzerland has convened this conference in accordance with Article 90(1)(b) of the 1977 Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

The main object of this conference is the election of the 15 members of the Commission for a term of 5 years. The States have been invited to submit candidatures no later than 15 October 2016.
The IHFFC at 25 - Presidential Report 2015  [07/09/2016]
Please click here to view document

  ·  20 June 2016
Job opening: part-time Coordination Manager [20/06/2016]
Please click here to find an employment offer for a part-time position of Coordination Manager.

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