By Zurlqarnain Haider
ISLAMABAD: Ben Emerson UN Special Rapporteur who is here in Pakistan met British High Commissioner Adam Thompson on Wednesday March 13, 2013 in Islamabad along with along with Mr. Amal Alamuddin to discuss the issue of victims of drone attacks. It may be mentioned that Ben is meeting and investigating how many innocent people in US drone attacks in restive areas of tribal belt. Ben also met Human Rights Advisor of Ministry of Human Rights Mustafa Khokhar in the presence of Saeed Sarwar Director Human Rights Ministry Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
Ben has very strong background of working independently without any foreign pressures. In April 2005, the Commission on Human Rights, in resolution 2005/80, decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. Like other Special Procedures, this mandate was assumed by the Human Rights Council (General Assembly resolution 60/251), and extended for one year, subject to the review to be undertaken by the Council (Human Rights Council decision 2006/102).
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism was last extended by the Human Rights Council for a period of three years by resolution 15/15 of 7 October 2010. Further, the Council requested the Special Rapporteur:
(a) To make concrete recommendations on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, including, at the request of States, for the provision of advisory services or technical assistance on such matters;
(b) To gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from and with all relevant sources, including Governments, the individuals concerned and their families, representatives and organizations, including through country visits, with the consent of the State concerned, on alleged violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism;
(c) To integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of his/her mandate;
(d) To identify, exchange and promote best practices on measures to counter terrorism that respect human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(e) To work in close coordination with other relevant bodies and mechanisms of the United Nations, and in particular with other special procedures of the Council, in order to strengthen the work for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while avoiding unnecessary duplication of efforts;
(f) To develop a regular dialogue and discuss possible areas of cooperation with Governments and all relevant actors, including relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and programmes, with, inter alia, the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council, including its Executive Directorate, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and treaty bodies, as well as non-governmental organizations and other regional or subregional international institutions, while respecting the scope of his/her mandate and fully respecting the respective mandates of the above-mentioned bodies and with a view to avoiding duplication of effort; and
(g) To report regularly to the Council and to the General Assembly.
The current Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism is Mr. Ben Emmerson, Q.C. (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), who has assumed his mandate on 1 August 2011.
The first Special Rapporteur (1 August 2005 – 31 July 2011) was Mr. Martin Scheinin (Finland).
