International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Chapter 9: Ad hoc mechanisms of the Human Rights Council KEY QUESTIONS • What are the Human Rights Council’s ad hoc or temporary mechanisms? • How do these mechanisms work? • What roles, if any, can NHRIs play in relation to these mechanisms? 1. INTRODUCTION In addition to its permanent mechanisms, the Human Rights Council (HRC) establishes ad hoc or temporary mechanisms to undertake particular tasks. The tasks can be related to the investigation of a particular situation or the drafting of a particular instrument or some other specific assignment. NHRIs can assist the work of these mechanisms where relevant. 2. SPECIAL COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY The HRC can establish a special commission of inquiry or fact-finding mission in relation to especially serious situations of human rights violation. These commissions usually relate to a specific incident or period in a specific country. Often they will be the result of a special session of the HRC called in response to some human rights emergency. The HRC decides to take action in relation to the incident or situation by establishing a group of independent human rights experts to investigate the situation and report back to the HRC. The experts are selected by the HRC President or the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights or both in consultation. Examples of these kinds of inquiries include: • the group of experts on the situation of human rights in Darfur, 2007186 • the UN fact-finding mission on the Gaza Conflict, 2009187 • the international fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance, 2010188 • the international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, 2011189 • the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, 2011.190 A commission of inquiry will want to conduct its investigation on-the-spot, in the area in which the alleged violations occurred. It will want to speak with and take evidence from all those with information 186 A/HRC/5/6. 187 A/HRC/12/48. 188 A/HRC/14/1. 189 HRC Resolution S-15/1; para. 11. 190 A/HRC/S7/2/Add.1. 60 | Chapter 9: Ad hoc mechanisms of the Human Rights Council