A/HRC/RES/53/12
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
18 July 2023
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Fifty-third session
19 June–14 July 2023
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 13 July 2023
53/12.
Mandate of Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and
lawyers
The Human Rights Council,
Recalling all its previous resolutions and decisions, as well as those of the
Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly, on the independence of the
judiciary and on the integrity of the judicial system,
Convinced that an independent and impartial judiciary, an independent legal
profession, an objective and impartial prosecution able to perform its functions accordingly
and the integrity of the judicial system are essential prerequisites for the protection of human
rights and fundamental freedoms and the application of the rule of law and for ensuring fair
trials without any discrimination,
Condemning the increasingly frequent attacks on the independence of judges, lawyers,
prosecutors and court officials, in particular threats, intimidation and interference in the
discharge of their professional functions,
Recalling its resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Human Rights Council,
and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedure Mandate Holders of the Human Rights
Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his or her
duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,
1.
Commends the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
for the important work undertaken in the discharge of the mandate;
2.
Decides to extend the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the independence of
judges and lawyers for a period of three years on the same terms as provided by the Human
Rights Council in its resolution 44/8 of 16 July 2020;
3.
Urges all Governments to cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur in
the performance of his or her tasks, to provide all necessary information requested by him or
her, to respond to communications transmitted to them by the Special Rapporteur without
undue delay, to consider responding favourably to his or her requests for visits and to consider
implementing his or her recommendations;
4.
Encourages the United Nations, including its specialized agencies, as well as
regional organizations, national human rights institutions, independent experts, bar
GE.23-13889(E)