The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination

Latest news:

"UN human rights experts encouraged by US Government efforts to increase oversight and accountability over private security contractors but concerned by gaps in access to effective remedy for victims of human rights violations".
3 August 2009

UN experts visit the United States to discuss the use of private military and security contractors
17 July 2009

Latest statements:

Statement by Mr. Alexander Nikitin, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of Mercenaries to the 10th session of the Human Rights Council, 6 March 2009

UN Working Group concludes Fourth session, expresses concern about the involvement of Mercenaries and private military/security companies in conflict situations
9 September 2008

UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries to visit the United Kingdom
26 May 2008

UN Working Group concludes Third session, addresses new types of mercenary activity
14 April 2008

Oral statement by Mr. José Luis Gómez del Prado, President of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as means of violating human rights and impeding
the rights of peoples to self-determination, 10 March 2008
English and Spanish

Private Security Companies engaging in new forms of mercenary activity, says UN Working Group, 6 November 2007
Also available in French and Spanish

Working Group on the use of mercenaries expresses concern over the killing of Iraqi civilians involving employees of private security company, 25 September 2007

Statement by Mr. José Luis Gómez del Prado, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries to the 4th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 21 March 2007 (in Spanish) (English unofficial translation)

Press releases:

UN WORKING GROUP ON MERCENARIES GRAVELY CONCERNED BY ALLEGATIONS THAT MERCENARIES WERE INVOLVED IN PLOT AGAINST BOLIVIAN AUTHORITIES
29 April 2009

EXPERT GROUP ON MERCENARIES CONCLUDES VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN
9 April 2009

UK PRIVATE MILITARY AND SECURITY COMPANIES COULD SUPPORT REGULATION, SAYS UN EXPERT GROUP, 5 June 2008

UNITED NATIONS WORKING GROUP ON USE OF MERCENARIES CONCLUDES VISIT TO CHILE
16 July 2007 - Also available: Spanish

UN WORKING GROUP ON THE USE OF MERCENARIES TO VISIT CHILE
5 July 2007

UN WORKING GROUP ON THE USE OF MERCENARIES CONCLUDES VISIT TO FIJI
18 May 2007

Introduction

The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination was established in July 2005 pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/2. It succeeded the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the use of mercenaries, which had been in existence since 1987 and was serviced by Mr. Enrique Bernales Ballesteros (Peru) from 1987 to 2004 and Ms. Shaista Shameem (Fiji) from 2004 to 2005.  In March 2008, the Human Rights Council extended the mandate of the Working Group for a period of three years.

In paragraph 2 of resolution 7/21, the Human Rights Council requested the Working Group:

(a) To elaborate and present concrete proposals on possible complementary and new standards aimed at filling existing gaps, as well as general guidelines or basic principles encouraging the further protection of human rights, in particular the right of peoples to self-determination, while facing current and emergent threats posed by mercenaries or mercenary-related activities;

(b) To seek opinions and contributions from Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on questions relating to its mandate;

(c) To monitor mercenaries and mercenary-related activities in all their forms and manifestations in different parts of the world;

(d) To study and identify sources and causes, emerging issues, manifestations and trends regarding mercenaries or mercenary-related activities and their impact on human rights, particularly on the right of peoples to self-determination;

(e) To monitor and study the effects on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly the right of peoples to self-determination, of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market, and to prepare a draft of international basic principles that encourage respect for human rights by those companies in their activities.

The Working Group is composed of:
Ms. Shaista Shameem (Fiji), Chairperson-Rapporteur,
Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya),
Ms. Amada Benavides de Pérez (Colombia),
Mr. José Luis Gómez del Prado (Spain)
Mr. Alexander Nikitin (Russian Federation).

 

To contact the Working Group:

Contact person	E-mail address
Ms. Julie Tetard	jtetard@ohchr.org

Mailing address:

Working Group on the use of mercenaries
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Fax: + 41 22 917 9006
Switzerland