The specific tasks assigned to any Special Procedure vary according to the Human Rights Council resolution establishing the mandate. However, the tools or outputs that are available to the Special Procedures are the same.
This section focuses on the following main outputs of the Special Procedures:
Explore the ways that Special Procedures speak out publicly.
These are often made when the experts are speaking at events or when they wish to mark a particular date. Special Procedures regularly issue such public statements with other UN or regional mechanisms, to show a shared position on a particular issue.
Examples:
Joint statement (9 August 2024) of various Special Procedures on solidarity for self-determination of all peoples on International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
Joint declaration (15 September 2024) of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and focal point on reprisals for the African Commission on Peoples and Human Rights (ACHPR), and others addressing the increased use of ‘foreign agents’ laws and other laws, policies and practices, restricting democratic freedoms, including freedom of association of civil society.
These are usually issued in response to a situation that the expert feels is sufficiently urgent or severe to warrant a public response. A press release on a particular case cannot be made until a communication has first been sent to the relevant State. Press releases – like a communication –will often be issued jointly by several experts.
Special Procedures mandate holders also typically issue a press release at the beginning of a country visit, and then hold a press conference at the end of the visit. Increasingly, Special Procedures use these events as opportunities to present preliminary conclusions and recommendations based on what they have observed.
Press releases of Special Procedures are made available in a database on the OHCHR website.
When working in very restrictive environments, like Bahrain, statements (e.g. here and here), communications (e.g. here, here and here) and opinions (e.g. here) of Special Procedures, as well as the pressure and publicity associated with them (e.g here), have been an important part of successful civic society campaigns calling for release from detention or the improvement of conditions of detention of human rights defenders, like Maryam Al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab.
Press releases by Special Procedures:
Communications by Special Procedures:
More information:
.@MARYAMALKHAWAJA "International pressure works. The reason I am sitting right here is because of UNHRC pressure". pic.twitter.com/a1DAchVtUw
— BIRD (@BirdBahrain_) June 26, 2015
Go to the previous section and the next sections to find out more about other tools and outputs of the Special Procedures, including: communications, country visits, thematic reports, and follow-up activities.
