Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence

Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence

Statement by Iceland on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries

delivered by

Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Martin Eyjólfsson

13 September 2023

Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and my own country Iceland.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for his detailed report on international legal standards underpinning the five pillars of transitional justice.

We concur that respect for and compliance with international human rights law and humanitarian law are the parameters for implementing and measuring transitional justice processes. Due consideration must be given to principles of non-discrimination with the aim of addressing root causes of serious human rights violations. Full compliance with human rights is vital to generate truth, justice, peace and security.

The international human rights obligations of States are applicable to transitional justice processes. States have the obligation to address serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law and ensure that perpetrators are held to account. As emphasized in the report, impunity in transitional processes is of great concern. Failure to close the impunity gap emboldens perpetrators and encourages re-occurrence.

Special Rapporteur, how can States ensure a comprehensive approach combining the elements of each pillar in a mutually reinforcing manner?

I thank you.