Communication | Doc. 14444 | 30 November 2017
Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
1. Letter from the Chairperson of the Ministers’ Deputies to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, dated 23 November 2017
Dear President,
Pursuant to Article 9 of Resolution Res(99)50 on the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, I would like to inform you that, out of seven candidates submitted, the Committee of Ministers, at the 1300th meeting of the Deputies (21-23 November 2017), has drawn up a list of three candidates following a voting procedure, the names being presented in alphabetical order so as to indicate that the Committee of Ministers does not wish to express any preference between candidates included in the list.
I enclose a copy of the decision in both official languages.
Yours sincerely,
Signed: Arnold de Fine Skibsted
Chairman of the Ministers' Deputies
2. Decision of the Ministers’ Deputies
Decisions CM/Del/Dec(2017)1300/4.1, 23 November 2017, 1300th (Budget) meeting, 21-23 November 2017
4.1 Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Reference documents: Resolution Res(99)50, CM(2017122, CM(2017)134, CM(2017)135, CM(2017)138, CM(2017)139, CM(2017)140, CM(2017)141
Decision
The Deputies decided to transmit to the Parliamentary Assembly, in accordance with Article 9, paragraph 1, of Resolution Res(99)50, the following list of three candidates, in alphabetical order:
- Mr Goran KLEMENČIČ (presented by Slovenia)
- Mr Pierre-Yves LE BORGN’ (presented by France)
- Ms Dunja MIJATOVIĆ (presented by Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Appendix 1 – Mr Goran KLEMENČIČ
Letter from Mr Karl Erjavec, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia to Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Ljubljana, 19 October 2017
Dear Secretary General,
With reference to your letter of 13 July 2017, I have the honour to submit the candidature of Mr Goran Klemenčič for the post of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. The candidature of Mr Klemenčič enjoys full support of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.
Mr Klemenčič has held the office of the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Slovenia since 2014. He is a recognized human rights scholar and expert, well known to the Council of Europe where he has in fact started his distinguished career by working at the European Court of Human Rights. Furthermore, he has profound and longstanding experience in various areas of human rights and the rule of law.
Importantly, Mr Klemenčič was the Commissioner for the Prevention of Corruption in Slovenia (2010-2014). He was also a member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 2013 to 2015, as well as an elected member of the UN Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture (2010-2013).
He has consulted on projects of the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as the European Commission in the field of human rights and criminal law issues. Among others he has also served as an advisor to the European Committee on Crime Problems of the Council of Europe.
A more detailed Curriculum Vitae of Mr Klemenčič is attached to this letter.
I am confident that his wide-ranging expertise and experience make Mr Klemenčič an outstanding and highly suitable candidate for the post of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
While approaching the 25th Anniversary of Slovenia’s membership in the Council of Europe the Government of the Republic of Slovenia attaches the highest importance to this candidature, which I hope you will consider as a testament to Slovenia’s continued support to the work of the organization in strengthening human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe.
Yours sincerely,
(Signature)
Letter of Candidacy from Mr Goran Klemenčič for the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner
I have spent my entire professional life working in the area of human rights, rule of law and anti-corruption. Within international organisations, government, academic sphere and civil society, I have been fortunate to have had various roles throughout my career. from almost every member state of the Council of Europe, in Central Asia, China and Latin America as a lawyer, activist, lecturer and researcher, international advisor and evaluator, public servant and finally a government minister.
In my capacity as a minister, I have been striving to put the enforcement of fundamental human rights and freedoms as one of the basic responsibilities and priorities of the Slovenian Ministry of Justice. The most evident results can be seen in effective execution of European Court of Human Rights judgments where we had executed approximately 84% of the cases against Slovenia within only a year’s time. The other big step forward was to finally put in place the legal framework by which our human rights institution will meet all criteria for obtaining status A in accordance with the Paris Principles on the Status of State Institutions (1993), for which we have been receiving recommendations for over 20 years.
From 2010 till 2013, I held the office of President of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, where we implemented a number of projects on transparency, integrity, accountability and corruption prevention – one of those received the highest United Nations award in anti-corruption field. My office initiated investigations in a number of high level officials and politicians in government as well as opposition for breaches of anti-corruption legislation. That brought me foes and unlikely friends across the political spheres and divides, but also strengthened the character and the sense that personal integrity must prevail in the face of abuse of power. I find my work in the anti-corruption area as an integral and natural part of my human rights resume. Violations of human rights and public corruption are both attacks on human dignity and abuse or misuse of power – political, institutional, economic or social.
From the end of the nineties, I was a regular external collaborator as expert or evaluator of the projects of the Council of Europe, the United Nations, OECD, Amnesty International and the European Commission, predominantly in the area of human rights protection. For several years, I was a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Security Sciences, University of Maribor, where the main domain of my academic research included human rights, criminal law and police powers.
Furthermore, I served as an elected member on the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
This diversity of working experience has given me, not only the opportunity to study, promote and stand for human rights, anti-corruption, state accountability and rule of law, but also a greater appreciation of the difficulties involved in striking an appropriate balance between collective security and individual freedom, between aspirations and realities, between law in books and law in practice, between politics and statesmanship.
Today, I’m painfully aware that we live even in a more complex, divided and insecure world than it was twenty years ago. Human rights are faced with new pressing challenges with respect to migration, terrorism, increased economic and social inequality, populism, and information technologies that are limiting the space of privacy and individual dignity from government as well as private actors alike. Fragmentation and weakening of international law and its primacy is a real issue. Values for which the Council of Europe stands for are finding it increasingly hard to be heard among other pressing issues that are dominating the world’s and european agenda and the “golden age” of human rights sometime seems to be in demise. Those are but a few, but crucial challenges that are facing the human rights institutions, including the office for which I’m putting my candidacy forward. I’m aware of them and am an optimist that those trends can be reversed and properly addressed. My years of service in different positions and in different regions and cultures have also taught me humility and the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and respect for different positions; not however on the expense of selling out on basic principles of human dignity and equality before the law for all.
Almost twenty years ago, I had the privilege to join the Council of Europe as a staff member in the Directorate of Legal Affairs. This coincided with the time when the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights had just been created. Later, I saw it grow and establish itself as an important and highly respected actor in promoting human rights in Europe and co-shaping the agenda and discourse in this area. I have the utmost respect for this institution, its past and current Commissioners that have formed its substance, visibility, strengthened its independence and promoted the values of the Council of Europe in general and the values and mandate of the office in particular.
It would be an honour and a privilege to build and continue on those achievements and face new challenges, and I believe that I possess the requirements and abilities, together with the energy and dedication, for such a position.
Goran Klemenčič
Ljubljana, 19.10.2017
CURRICULUM VITAE – Mr Goran KLEMENČIČ
I. Personal details
Name, forename: Klemenčič Goran
Sex: male
Marital status: married / two daughters
Date of birth: 28 May 1972
Nationality: Slovenian
II. Education and academic and other qualifications
2003: Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland – Galway, Ireland
(non-resident, post-graduate PhD research)
1997: Harvard Law School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
(LL.M., Masters in Law)
1996: Ljubljana Law Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
(LL.B., Juris Diploma)
1995: Kingston College, Kingston University, Kingston, UK
(Certificate in EU Law)
1991: Gymnasium – Computer Technical High School, Kranj, Slovenia
(IT Programmer/Technician Degree)
III. Professional activities / employment
2014-present: Minister of Justice, Republic of Slovenia (independent / no-political party member)
2010-2013: President / Chief Commissioner, Independent Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (appointed by the President of the Republic after the recommendation by an expert panel of representatives of the civil society, judiciary, parliament and civil service; implemented a number of projects on transparency, integrity, accountability and corruption prevention – one of which received an UN anti-corruption award; investigated a number of high level officials and politicians in government and opposition for breaches of anti-corruption legislation)
2008-2010: State Secretary, Ministry of the Interior, Slovenia (independent / no-political party member)(among others responsible for preparing legislation and measures to remedy the ‘erased’ persons situation and strengthening human rights and civic oversight over police)
2003-2008: Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Criminal Justice, University of Maribor, Slovenia; Associate Lecturer, European Law Faculty, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
(held courses in Human Rights, Police Powers, (Comparative) Criminal Law and Procedure)
2000-2003: Project Manager / Advisor, Council of Europe, DG-1 / Legal Affairs, Strasbourg, France
(working on different projects on legal reform, anti-corruption, accountability of security and law enforcement services and human rights of Council of Europe member states)
1999-2000: Counsellor to the Government, Bureau for Management and Supervision of the Police, Slovenia (responsible for strategic management of police, monitoring and identification of systemic deficiencies in view of legality and human rights)
1996: Judicial clerkship, Court of Appeal, Ljubljana, Slovenia
IV. Activities and experience in the field of human rights
2012-2014: Member, Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Council of Europe
2009-2012: Member, Sub-committee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, United Nations
2010-2014: Head of Slovenian delegation, GRECO, Council of Europe
(*I list it here as I consider corruption as a violation of human rights)
2005-2008: Member, Advisory Board to Amnesty International – Slovenia
2004-2006: Evaluator; development and implementation of a Non-Discrimination Training Programme for Judges and Prosecutors with ETC – European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Graz, Austria, NEKI Legal Defence Bureau (Hungary), VIA JURIS (Slovakia), Mirovni Institut (Slovenia), Irish Centre for Human Rights, Galway, Ireland
2004-2005: Expert, EU-China Human Rights Network with Irish Centre for Human Rights (Galway), Law Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
2001-2008: Principal expert and contributor, Rule of law and human rights in post-conflict environments (a long term project with the United States Institute for Peace, Irish Centre for Human Rights, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Office on Drugs and Crime and Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, Freiburg, Germany which resulted in drafted and published Model Criminal code, Model Criminal Procedure Code, Model Law Enforcement Powers Act and Model Detention Act)
1998-2000: National Delegate / Expert to the UN Preparatory Commission on the drafting the Rules of Procedure & Evidence and Elements of Crime for the Rome Statute / International Criminal Court (UN, New York)
Since 1996: worked as a consultant or project manager on various short and long term human rights and rule of law related projects (with focus on issues related to security services / law enforcement and human rights, government accountability & anticorruption, rule of law in conflict and post-conflict environments, prison conditions, right to privacy in information society, anti-discrimination) managed / funded by the: Council of Europe (Strasbourg), OECD (Paris), European Commission (Brussels), UNDP (New York), United States Institute for Peace (Washington), UNHCHR (Geneva), World Bank (Washington), Irish Centre for Human Rights (Galway), UNMIK (Kosovo), USAID (Washington), IRZ (German Foundation for Int. Legal Cooperation, Bonn).
Regions of work/field experience: EU, Russian Federation, Eastern and South-eastern Europe, Turkey, Central Asia, China, Afghanistan, Mexico, Brasil, North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt).
V. Publications and other works
Author and co-author of several books and articles on (comparative) police & security services and human rights, rule of law, government accountability, and the right to privacy in view of modern surveillance technologies.
Selected books / book chapters:
Model Criminal and Police Codes for Postconflict Justice and Rule of Law (co-author & co-editor): 2007, United States Institute of Peace Press, Washington (English)
Police Legitimacy (author of chapter: Rebuilding legitimacy, human rights and professionalism of the police in an emerging democracy): 2007, Russell Sage Publishing, New York, USA (English)
Policing and Human Rights (co-author), Pasadena Publishing, Ljubljana, 2002 (co-author)
Pravni vodnik po internetu / Kibernetski kriminal in Pravica do zasebnosti (co-author) [Internet and the Right to Privacy], GV Zalozba, 2007 (Slovenian)
Ustavno kazensko procesno pravo (co-author) [Constitutional Criminal Procedure] – cases and materials relevant to human rights in criminal proceedings with emphasis on jurisprudence of the ECHR, US SC and Constitutional Courts of EU; 1996, 1998, 2000, Pasadena Publishing, Ljubljana (Slovenian)
Komentar Ustave RS (co-author) [Commentary of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia], FPDEŠ, Brdo, 2002 (Slovenian)
Legal Systems of the World: A Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, 2002 (co-author)
VI. Language skills
Mother tongue: Slovenian
Fluent: English, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
Working: German, Macedonian
Basic: French, Russian
Appendix 2 – Mr Pierre-Yves LE BORGN’
Translation
Letter from Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, to Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Paris, 18 October 2017
Dear Secretary-General,
Referring to your letter dated 13 July 2017, and in accordance with Article 9 (2) of Resolution (99) 50 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, I have the honour to present Mr Pierre-Yves Le Borgn' as candidate of the Government of the French Republic to the office of Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
Given his qualifications, his experience in protection of rights and freedoms and his personal commitment in this field, I am convinced that Mr Pierre-Yves Le Borgn' will successfully fulfil the demanding functions of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
In his work as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Mr Le Borgn' has demonstrated his passion for defending human rights. Through the positions he has held in various parliamentary commissions and as rapporteur, he has acquired in-depth knowledge of the organization and its workings. He has been particularly active within PACE in tangibly advancing the human rights cause.
If elected, Mr Le Borgn' will fulfil the missions of the Commissioner with commitment, high expectations and the strictest impartiality. He will initiate constructive dialogue with the member States, members of parliament and civil society to defend and promote our common principles and values.
We are convinced that Mr Le Borgn ' has the qualities and the determination needed to continue to make the Commissioner for Human Rights an essential player in the protection of human rights in Europe.
Please find attached the CV of Mr Le Borgn', with further information on his qualifications and experience.
Yours faithfully,
(signature)
CURRICULUM VITAE – Mr Pierre-Yves LE BORGN’
I. Particulars
Born on 4 November 1964 in Quimper
Married to Dolores Dominguez Perez and father of 3 children of French and Spanish nationality French nationality
II. Education and academic qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Law, University of Nantes (1985)
Graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Sciences Po (1987)
LL M European Law, College of Europe, Bruges (1989)
Participant at the Academy of European Law, Florence (1999)
Laureate of the General Political Science Competitions of first and second academic cycles (1984 and 1985)
III. Political commitments
2012-2017: Deputy in the National Assembly of the French Republic
As Deputy for French nationals living in Central Europe and the Balkans, Pierre-Yves Le Borgn’ travelled each week the 16 countries in his constituency: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. His constituency office was situated in Cologne. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and specialized in rights and freedoms, European affairs and combating global warming. He authored 13 parliamentary reports. He handled, among others, the ratification process of the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism and of the Paris Climate Agreement. His work also included a report on reforming the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and an initiative report on the Western Balkans and the rule of law. At the National Assembly and in the French national debate, Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ has committed to defending the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and its case law. He prepared a constitutional bill on parliamentary control of the implementation of ECHR case law. Pierre-Yves Le Borgn’ chaired the parliamentary France-Germany friendship group. He represented the National Assembly on the Board of the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) and, within the Office, took part in discussions that brought about the creation of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of the Western Balkans (RYCO).
2012-2017: Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
Pierre-Yves Le Borgn’ dedicated a considerable part of his term as a Deputy to the Council of Europe. As a member of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (AS/Jur), he was rapporteur on the implementation of ECHR judgments. Preparing that report involved working closely with the Commissioner for Human Rights and with rights defenders, NGOs and the authorities of many Member States. This was also true for the report for opinion on combating terrorism while respecting the European Convention on Human Rights. Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ was an active member of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (AS/Cdh). In his capacity as a member of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media (AS/Cult), he presented two reports on the educational and cultural networks of communities living abroad and on integration of refugees. He chaired the Sub-Committee on Culture, Diversity and Heritage and represented PACE within the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). Pierre-Yves was a founding member of the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance, within which he represented the French Parliament. He has regularly contributed as an orator on the rule of law, intercultural relations, and on the responsibility of contracting companies during events organized by the Council of Europe, and particularly the World Forum for Democracy.
2000-2010: Member of the Assembly of French Nationals Abroad
At the Assembly of French Nationals Abroad (advisory body elected by French expatriates and chaired by the Foreign Minister), Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ worked on rights, freedoms and political representation. He promoted the parliamentary representation of French nationals abroad at the National Assembly, giving rise in 2008 to a revision of the Constitution and in 2012 to the first legislative elections in French communities outside France. He is also committed to respect for the free movement of persons in the European space and to the concrete implementation of European citizenship, working with the Europeans Throughout the World federation, within which he represented the Français du Monde (French people throughout the world) association.
IV. Professional commitments
2006-2012: Vice-President, Corporate Affairs Europe, First Solar Inc. (Brussels & Mainz)
Pierre-Yves Le Borgn’ was responsible for developing the business in Europe. His responsibilities covered industrial relations, particularly in the areas of recycling, the circular economy and sustainable development. He worked on the construction of plants to produce solar panels and several major solar farms in Europe.
2000-2006: Industrial Relations Director Europe, Rohm and Haas Company (Brussels & Paris)
As a member of the legal department, Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ advised the company on the implementation of major European legislative provisions in the sector of speciality chemicals and took part in many industrial negotiations. His responsibilities included competition law, environmental law and energy law.
1998-2000: Industrial Relations Director Europe, Reynolds (Brussels)
Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ monitored national and European legislative developments in the areas of taxation and international trade.
1995-1998: Commercial Communications Manager, PMCS (Brussels)
The responsibilities of Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ covered commercial communications, with a particular focus on the development of online activities.
1992-1994: Permanent Representative, Breizh Europe (Brussels)
Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ led the representation office for the economic activities of his native region, Brittany. He advised Breton businesses and cooperatives on the consequences of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.
1992: Intern, Research Department, Court of Justice of the European Communities (Luxembourg)
Under the leadership of his PhD supervisor at the College of Europe, Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ carried out a six-month internship at the Court of Justice, dedicated to analysis of references for preliminary rulings from French courts and the drafting of annotation of case law for several judges.
1990-1992: Junior Buyer, Go Sport of USA Inc. (Los Angeles)
This professional experience corresponds to the national service fulfilled by Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ with the Californian subsidiary of a French sporting goods distributor. His roles covered relations with the parent company and support for the buying department.
1989-1990: Temporary lecturer, University of Western Brittany (Brest)
Pierre-Yves le Borgn’ gave classes in French constitutional law, European law and public freedoms for students preparing recruitment examinations for the local and national civil service.
V. Foreign languages
French, English, German, Portuguese and Spanish
VI. Voluntary sector commitments
Member of Amnesty International, Belgium
Member of the Maison des Enfants d’Izieu (memorial for exterminated Jewish Children) association, France
Member of the Pierre Mendès France Institute (France)
Appendix 3 – Ms Dunja MIJATOVIĆ
Letter from Mr Predrag Grgić, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Council of Europe, to Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Strasbourg, 3 October 2017
Dear Secretary General,
In accordance with Resolution(99)50 and the decision made by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 5th of July 2017, I have the honor to inform you that I have received the instructions from my Government to submit the candidature of Mrs Dunja Mijatović for the position of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
We firmly believe that Mrs Mijatović is a very strong candidate taking into account her huge experience in her so far engagements in the field of human rights. We have no doubt that our candidate, if elected, will perform the duty in a profoundly professional, independent and outstanding manner.
Please find attached herewith the Curriculum Vitae of Mrs Dunja Mijatović.
Sincerely yours,
(signature)
CURRICULUM VITAE – Ms Dunja MIJATOVIĆ
I. Personal details
Name, forename – Mijatović Dunja
Sex – Female
Date and place of birth – 08.09.1964, Sarajevo
Nationality – Bosna and Hercegovina
II. Education and academic and other qualifications
MA in European Studies, completed in 2002 at: University of Sarajevo; University of Sussex University of Bologna; the London School of Economics
Master’s Thesis: The Internet and Freedom of Expression
Bachelor’s degree from University of Sarajevo – 1987
Awards
Beholder of several prizes for her work in the field of human rights, including:
Freedom prize awarded by the International Peace Centre in Sarajevo – 2010. For the work and activities on the struggle for freedom, peace and development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe and the world.
Médaille Charlemagne award – 2015. This award recognizes a European personality who has made a unique contribution within the field of media and human rights, to the process of European unification and the development of a European identity.
City of Geneva PEC Press Emblem Campaign Award – 2015. For the work on the issue of the safety of journalists and media freedom in Ukraine during the crisis and "exceptional personal commitment for the promotion of freedom of information in the whole region.
Dialogue of Cultures award – Council of Media congress – Hermitage Museum –Saint Petersburg, Russia 2015. For the work with young journalists.
Concordia Press Club prize, Vienna, Austria – 2015. The Concordia Prize is awarded for outstanding journalistic achievements in human rights, democracy, focusing on freedom of the press and freedom of information.
Grand Decoration of Honour awarded by the President of Republic of Austria – 2017. For the work as the OSCE Representative on Media Freedom and for services to the Republic of Austria. The decoration is given to individuals from Austria and abroad for their special contribution to the country and it is one of the greatest honours bestowed by Austrian Republic.
III. Professional Activities
ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – March 2010 – March 2017
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (level/grade: UN Under-Secretary General)
Dunja Mijatović was the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the highest-ranking female free-expression advocate in the world. Mijatović was appointed in 2010 to protect and promote free media and free expression in the 57 countries of North America, Europe and Central Asia that comprise the OSCE. The mandate directs the Representative to provide an “early warning function and rapid response to serious non-compliance with regard to free media and freedom of expression.” The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is appointed in accordance with OSCE procedures by the Ministerial Council upon the recommendation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office after consultation with the 57 participating States. In this role, Dunja Mijatovic was in charge of the overall direction and supervision of the activities of the OSCE human rights programme related to the freedom of expression, media freedom, communications, safety of journalists, access to and free flow of information and advising on fighting on line radicalisation and terrorism while protecting human rights. The tasks include provision of technical advice to states on media issues; public diplomacy campaigns and events; diplomatic outreach in cases of concern, and stakeholder engagement. It also includes the administration and management of the Office, the budget process and human resources.
COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AGENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (CRA) – SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – 2001- 2010
Director of Broadcasting
Mitotic was a member of the team responsible for the creation and development of a legal, regulatory and policy framework for the media in a complex post-war society and further involved in setting up a self-regulatory press council and directly involved in drafting and implementing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first hate speech regulation. She was also involved in setting up the first Free Media Helpline in South East Europe. As the member of the Council of the Forum on Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006-2009), she was directly involved in the development of the national strategy for the introduction of digital TV and bridging digital divide in BiH and the region. This first-hand experience in fighting and successfully regulating wide-spread hate speech in broadcasting media enabled her to gain tremendous expertise and international recognition in this field.
INDEPENDENT MEDIA COMMISSION – SARAJEVO, BIH – 1998-2001
Head of Programme Standards and Complaints
Dunja Mijatović joined the Independent Media Commission (IMC) on its establishment in 1998, and since then she has been involved in communications and media regulation in BiH. This Agency was established as part of the international peace effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the objective of being a leader in modern trends of efficient and effective communications regulation.
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MONITORING MISSION – SARAJEVO, BIH – 1996-1998
Australian Embassy Migration Office – Vienna, Austria 1994-1995
Special Assistance Task Group – processing of Refugee, Special Humanitarian and Special Assistance Category applications.
IV. Activities and experience in the field of human rights
Dunja Mijatović has spent more two decades working on protection of human rights combined with 7 years of leading an intergovernmental human rights institution and 12 years of leading a department of the state institution. Her commitment to human rights was evident from the start of her career in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She was devoted towards establishment of full respect of human rights including right of people to freely express themselves in a post war and post conflict environment. She worked on delicate issues of post-war institution building, establishing broadcasting regulation and ways to deal with hate speech and dangerous speech to enable a political climate facilitating human rights and freedoms, peace and security.
The beginning of her career was also very much related to the establishment of culture of respect of human rights and cooperation with international organisations and civil society in that respect, among which a direct and most active and fruitful cooperation with the Council of Europe. She was a member of CDMM, functioning at that time, as well as the member of the Standing Committee on Transfrontier Television (T-TT) and she additionally chaired the Council of Europe Group of Specialists on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis (MC-S-IC) from 2005 – 2007. She has in-depth knowledge about the Council of Europe mission and tasks and the positive impact different structures make in member States, particularly during a time of transition and in the time of crisis.
In her daily work, she maintained a close liaison with other international and regional organisations such as UNHRC, UNESCO, Council of Europe and the European Union, and many other regional and national institutions. In numerous cases, she has worked with these organisations to build consensus in highly difficult political environment.
She worked and cooperated closely on different issues with the previous and current CoE Commissioner for Human Rights. Additionally, through her engagement with leaders of several countries, she managed to develop an atmosphere of trust to resolve some of the most acute human rights violations. Her work also included regular visits to prisons that were granted by the OSCE participating States.
She also extensively worked on the issues related to the protection of minors, LGBTI rights, women’s rights and gender equality, particularly the intensification of hate speech against women, especially on the Internet, fight against propaganda for war and hatred and tackling the issue of fake news phenomena, counter terrorism and violent extremism and other grave breaches of human rights. Under her leadership, many communiqués and resolutions were adopted to help raise awareness and resolve problems related to the abovementioned topics.
Dunja Mijatović was President of the Board of the association “Your RIGHT” Bosnia and Herzegovina. The association is local, non-governmental and non-profit organisation with its headquarters in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Association was originally founded in 1996 as a network of information and legal aid centers under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with its mandate to ensure safe, legal, and dignified return of refugees and displaced persons to their prewar homes. Since 1996, the Association has provided aid to some 450,000 refugees, returnees, displaced persons, minority groups, and vulnerable groups of domicile population in legal matters such as: property repossession, social, economic and cultural rights, discrimination in access to employment, utilities, education, and social welfare, as well as other human rights guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and other international legal instruments.
Dunja Mijatović is honorary director of EDUS - EDUCATION FOR ALL a non-government, not-for-profit organisation that offers advanced scientific methodology, through cooperation with public preschool and primary education institutions, for children with and without development delays. It also assists in education and advancement of professionals in this area, education and support to parents and scientific cooperation in the wider professional community. EDUS was founded in November 2010, by a gathering of professionals, parents and citizens, as an expression of the need to make an alliance of individuals and groups that share their vision of the full potential of each child, regardless of their stage of development.
V. Public activities
EUROPEAN PLATFORM OF REGULATORY AGENCIES (EPRA) – STRASBOURG, FRANCE 2007–2010 Chairperson
Dunja Mijatović was both the first EPRA chair from a non-EU country and the first woman to chair this network. EPRA is the world’s largest network of 52 media regulatory authorities, while the European Commission and the Council of Europe are standing observers of the Platform. The Secretariat of the EPRA is currently based in Strasbourg (France) and is hosted by the Council of Europe’s European Audio-visual Observatory. She was involved in bringing together EPRA and the Mediterranean Regulatory Authorities Network (RIRM) in order to start exchanging views and experience related to audio-visual matters. RIRM was established to strengthen the historical and cultural links between Mediterranean countries, and to give the opportunity to the independent regulatory authorities from the Mediterranean area to identify, in the background of globalisation, the common challenges they have to face.
Council of Europe Group of Specialists on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis (MC-S-IC) – Strasbourg, France – 2005-2007 – Chairperson
For two mandates Dunja Mijatović chaired the working group of experts from the Council of Europe member States. Her leadership of the group’s work resulted in two major resolutions: Declaration by the Committee of Ministers on the protection and promotion of investigative journalism and Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on protecting freedom of expression and information in times of crisis (both adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 26 September 2007 at the 1005th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies).
Dunja Mijatović was President of the Board of the association “Your Right“ Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2005 to 2007.
Dunja Mijatović is honorary director of EDUS - EDUCATION FOR ALL – a non-government, not-for-profit organisation that offers advanced scientific methodology, through cooperation with public preschool and primary education institutions, for children with and without development delays.
VI. Other activities
Dunja Mijatović is a frequent speaker at the conferences, guest lecturer at the universities and a regular contributor of articles and commentary pieces in international media on subjects such as human rights, peace building, combating hate speech, media freedom, broadcast regulation, new media, and journalists’ safety. In 2012, Mijatović topped Guardian poll of people who have had the most impact in the battle to keep the internet open. She addressed conferences and student halls in the U.S., Russia, Italy, Western Balkan countries, Turkey, Iceland and other countries.
She is a regular speaker at the academic forums e.g. George Washington University – Inaugural lecture – Global Internet Freedom and Human Rights Distinguished Speaker Series, numerous lectures at the Columbia University New York. Last year she delivered annual Harriman lecture at the Harriman Institute, Columbia University of the City of New York – Free Expression in the Age of Security Threats. She was frequently interviewed by international media (e.g., CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera etc.) on issues related to media, access to information, security, fight against terrorism etc. She published numerous reports and books on such issues as media and communication policy, human rights and security, human rights and fight against terrorism and violent extremism, fundamental communication rights, new media and technology, and media in transition. She provided input into a set of annual joint declarations on the global policies on media freedom, communications and recommendations thereof. Translated into several languages, these and other publications serve the academic and political debate and are widely used in college classrooms.
She has in depth knowledge and expertise in strategic communications and digital platforms and new media tools including social media. She was an early participant in the global discussion about new media and the digitalisation of journalism. During her tenure at the OSCE, she launched several campaigns aimed at raising awareness and engaging key actors on emerging issues related to human rights violations. These include the anti-impunity campaign "Chronicle of Threats" which received the Bronze Lion at the world's largest festival of creativity and public relations in Cannes. She also pioneered engagement in the issues of online safety of female journalists, dealing with abuse and hate speech, and started a discussion at the OSCE on fighting online radicalisation and terrorism while protecting human rights.
VII. Publications and other works
A Threat to Free Speech: The Online Abuse of Female Journalists -Georgetown Journal http://journal.georgetown.edu/a-threat-to-freespeech-the-online-abuse-of-femalejournalists/
Online threats of killing, rape and violence everyday reality for too many female journalists https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2015/08/dunja-mijatovic-online-threats-of-killingrape-and-violence-everyday-reality-for-too-many-female-journalists/
The fight against terror should not be a fight against basic human rights https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2016/09/dunja-mijatovic-fight-terror-not-fight-basichuman-rights/
What Would Anna Politkovskaya Tell Us Today? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dunja-mijatovic/what-would-annapolitkovs_b_12377342.html
Diffamazione, progetto di legge da rifare Il Corriere della Sera, 08/06/2014 https://www.coe.int/sv/web/commissioner/view/-/asset_publisher/ugj3i6qSEkhZ/content/defamation-in-italy-a-draft-law-to-be-changed?_101_INSTANCE_ugj3i6qSEkhZ_languageId=it_IT
Больше, а не меньше информации — вот что нужно в смутное время publication date March 17, 2014 http://www.vedomosti.ru/opinion/news/24052451/dunya-miyatovich-bolshe-a-ne-menshe-informacii-vot-chto#ixzz34tnQ3fHl
Open Government Owes a Lot to a Couple of 18th-Century Finns http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/open-government-owes-a-lo_b_9804450.html
Human rights and a changing media landscape – Protection of journalists from violence (p21-43) publication, December 2011 – Commissioner for Human Rights – Council of Europe https://www.coe.int/t/commissioner/source/prems/MediaLandscape2011.pdf
Combating Digital Harassment – https://cpj.org/2016/04/attacks-on-the-press-combatingdigital-harassment.php
Security, the Greatest Threat to Free Expression? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dunjamijatovic/security-the-greatestthr_b_9327240.html
Dunja Mijatović: Why quality public service media has not caught on in transition societies – https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2016/06/dunja-mijatovic/
It’s Time for a Magna Carta for the Web http://www.cyberdialogue.ca/2014/03/itstime-fora-magna-carta-for-the-web-by-dunja-mijatovic/
“Eternal vigilance the price of liberty online”, Op-ed on Internet freedom http://www.stockholminternetforum.se/eternal-vigilance-theprice-of-liberty-online/
Overcoming the past and role of media: War crimes as topic in BiH media: Basic trends in electronic media: use of hate language and incitement to religious and national hatred, KAS (2006)
VIII. Languages
Mother tongue – Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian
Official languages
English – fluent
French – reading
Other languages
German – fluent
Russian – reading
Slovenian – reading
Macedonian – reading
IX. Other relevant information – Computer skills, Software and Social media
Mac and PC compatible. Experience with Microsoft Office suite and InDesign. Knowledge of social networking and blogging sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Wordpress and Google. Managed social media for professional communication, invited to guest moderate and take part in Twitter chat and to write guest posts and blogs. Twitter @Dunja_Mijatovic