Press conference by the Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
Commissions/missions may make use of the OHCHR website to publicly disseminate
information. For example, it has become regular practice for commissions/missions set up
by the Human Rights Council to establish a web page on the Human Rights Council’s section
of the OHCHR website to post contact information, press releases and interim reports.
4. DURING THE MANDATE
(a) Public information targeted at victims and potential witnesses
It is good practice to have a one-page leaflet for distribution to all potential sources of
information that may wish to cooperate with the commission/mission. Leaflets can be
distributed directly by the commission/mission or its secretariat, and/or indirectly through
United Nations offices in the country concerned and national civil society organizations.
The primary purpose of the leaflet is to ensure that individuals/groups in the country
where the inquiry will take place are aware of the mandate of the commission/mission
and know how to contact it. The leaflet will have to be translated into local languages.
(b) Engagement with the media
The engagement by commissions/missions with the media during their investigations
has varied. Some have chosen to maintain a general media silence; others have
provided periodic public updates in the form of press releases or press conferences
on their travel and meetings, but without addressing the substance of their findings
and conclusions before their work was finalized; yet others, such as the Commission
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COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY AND FACT-FINDING MISSIONS ON INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW
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