In June 2026, the President of the UN Human Rights Council (the Council) will appoint a new UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Candidates must have the required expertise and experience in the field of the mandate, be independent and impartial, and show a high level of personal integrity and objectivity.
Alongside partners, we have developed a document including a checklist with criteria for candidates for the position. Its intention is to support all stakeholders in the identification of, and outreach to, highly qualified and independent candidates. It is also intended as a checklist that can be used by the President and Consultative Group of the Human Rights Council to ensure that only highly qualified and independent candidates are considered and appointed as the mandate holder.
It is part of a series of documents developed for vacant positions of Special Procedures mandate holders.
The signatory organisations call on governments, civil society, and other stakeholders, including relevant professional networks, to use this checklist to identify eligible candidates for the upcoming vacancy for the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Read the document
Signatories:
- ARTICLE 19
- Amnesty International
- Access Now
- Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
- DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
- IFEX
- International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 