[hr-armed-forces] UN expert group considers new legal instruments for regulation of private military and security companies
HREA
UNITED NATIONS Press release
27 March 2009
GENEVA
– The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, which is currently
engaged in the elaboration of new legal instruments for the regulation of
activities of private military and security companies, will hold its sixth
session at the United Nations in Geneva from 30 March to 3 April 2009.
Earlier this week the Human Rights Council requested the Working Group to
consult with a wide range of actors on the content and scope of possible
legal instruments. It also asked the Working Group to share possible
elements for a draft convention with Member States, requesting their input
on its content and scope.
At its meeting, the Working Group
will hold discussions with Member States, civil society, including NGOs and
academics, and representatives of Private Military/Security Companies. This
session will also be an occasion for it to discuss its future consultations
in Africa, Asia and Europe where the UN experts will seek to gain a
regional perspective about the current practices related to mercenaries and
private military and security companies registered, operating or recruiting
personnel in the region. The Working Group will also be preparing upcoming
country visits, including to the United States at the invitation of the
Government.
The Working Group will continue to monitor the
phenomenon of mercenaries and Private Military/Security Companies, and will
hold its seventh session in New York from 27 to 31 July 2009.
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 was established in 2005 by the Commission on Human
Rights.
The Working Group is composed of five independent
experts serving in their personal capacities, and headed by its
Chairperson-Rapporteur, Mr. Alexander Nikitin (Russian Federation). The
other Working Group experts are: Ms. Amada Benavides de Pérez
(Colombia), José Luis Gómez del Prado (Spain), Ms. Najat
al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) and Ms. Shaista Shameem (Fiji).
For more information on the Working Group, please contact Ms Julie
Tétard on +41 22 917 9603, or consult the website of the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/mercenaries/index.htm.
HREA - www.hrea.org
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies.
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