The United Nations Secretary General has named Cherif Bassiouni, president of the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI) at DePaul University, an Independent Expert on Human Rights in Afghanistan. Bassiouni was nominated for the position by the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In his newly appointed position, Bassiouni will work in collaboration with the Transitional Authority, including the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, to develop a program of advisory services to ensure the full respect and protection of human rights and the promotion of the rule of law in Afghanistan.

Bassiouni also will seek and receive information from governments, inter-governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations in an effort to prevent human rights violations in Afghanistan.

“I am honored once again to receive such a high appointment by the United Nations to continue my lifelong work in the field of human rights,” said Bassiouni. “As Afghanistan moves toward a more democratic system of government based on the rule of law, it is important to enhance the observance of, and respect for, human rights in a country that has been torn apart by war and internal conflict for the last 30 years. The United Nations will support that process in every way it can.”

Bassiouni is internationally recognized in the areas of human rights and international criminal justice. A distinguished research professor of law at DePaul, he is also the president of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences of Siracusa, Italy (ISISC), and of the International Association of Penal Law in Paris, France.

From 1998 to 2000, Bassiouni was the Independent Expert for the Commission on Human Rights on The Rights to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. In 1993, he was appointed chairman of the U.N. Security Council Commission to Investigate International Humanitarian Law Violations in the former Yugoslavia. The work of the Commission led to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. In 1998, he chaired the Drafting Committee on the United Nations Diplomatic Conference for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, which 92 countries now have joined.

The author of numerous books on international criminal law, comparative criminal law and human rights, Bassiouni is renowned globally for his lifelong work to establish the International Criminal Court.

Presently, the IHRLI, which was founded by the College of Law in 1990 to safeguard fundamental rights through international law, is involved with ISISC, in the Afghanistan Judicial Reform Project which is working to help rebuild the justice system in Afghanistan by training 450 judges. It also has received a multi-million dollar federal grant to help rebuild the legal education system in Iraq.

Note to Editors: Bassiouni can be reached at 312/362-8332.