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Annual thematic reports

The Special Rapporteur, pursuant to resolutions adopted by the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Human Rights, has annually submitted a report to the Commission on Human Rights. Since the establishment of the Human Rights Council in 2006, reports are also presented to the Council during one of its annual sessions, pursuant to resolutions adopted by this body.

These reports contain a description of his/her activities and working methods, summaries of communications between the Special Rapporteur and Governments and, if appropriate, observations on the situation of the right to life in specific countries. Moreover, the Special Rapporteur includes in his/her report a general analysis of the phenomenon of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, as well as conclusions and recommendations in this respect.

The report is publicly discussed by the Council at its annual session, a discussion in which representatives of both Governments and non-governmental organizations actively participate and which so far has always led to the adoption of a resolution on the subject.

In 1996, for the first time, the Commission invited the Special Rapporteur to submit a report to the General Assembly (see table below) on the situation worldwide with regard to summary or arbitrary executions and his recommendations to combat the phenomenon. (Fact Sheet N.11)

Reports to the Human Rights Council (HRC)/Commission on Human Rights (CHR)


Year Report and related links Subject of the report
2021
47th session of the Human Rights Council 		A/HRC/47/33 (Advance unedited version)
View report page		Reflection of mandate-holder Agnès Callamard on her work over the past five years as Special Rapporteur
2020
44th session of the Human Rights Council 		A/HRC/44/38
View report page		Targeted killings through armed drones and the case of Iranian General Quassem Soleimani
2019
41st session of the Human Rights Council ​
​
 A/HRC/41/36Investigation, accountability and prevention of intentional state killings of human rights defenders, journalists and prominent dissidents)
A/HRC/41/CRP.1Annex to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: Investigation into the unlawful death of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi
A/HRC/41/36/Add.1Addendum - Observations on communications
2018
38th session of the Human Rights Council ​		 A/HRC/38/44Armed non-State actors: the protection of the right to life
A/HRC/38/44/Add.3Addendum - Observations on communications
2017
35th session of the Human Rights Council ​		 A/HRC/35/23Gender-sensitive approach to arbitrary killings
A/HRC/35/23/Add.2Addendum - Observations on communications
2016
32nd session of the Human Rights Council ​
​		 A/HRC/32/39The right to life and the use of force by private security providers in law enforcement contexts
A/HRC/32/39/Add.3Addendum - Observations on communications
A/HRC/32/39/Add.4Addendum - Revision of the United Nations Manual on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions
2016
31st session of the Human Rights Council 		A/HRC/31/66Joint compilation report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on practical recommendations for the proper management of assemblies, based on best practices and lessons learned
2015
29th session of the Human Rights Council ​		 A/HRC/29/37Use of information and communications technologies to secure the right to life
A/HRC/29/37/Add.5Addendum - Observations on communications
2014
26th session of the Human Rights Council ​		 A/HRC/26/36Protection of the right to life during law enforcement - the need for domestic law reform; Remotely piloted aircraft or armed drones and emerging autonomous weapons systems
A/HRC/26/36/Add.2Addendum - Observations on communications
2013
23rd session of the Human Rights Council ​		 A/HRC/23/47Lethal autonomous robotics and the protection of life
A/HRC/23/47/Add.5Addendum - Observations on communications
2012
20th session of the Human Rights Council ​ ​		 A/HRC/20/22Protection of the right to life of journalists
A/HRC/20/22/Corr.1Corrigendum
A/HRC/20/22/Add.4Addendum - Observations on communications
2011
17th session of the Human Rights Council ​ ​ ​ ​ ​		 A/HRC/17/28Protecting the right to life in the context of policing assemblies
A/HRC/17/28/Add.1Addendum - Communications to and from Governments
A/HRC/14/24/Add.1Addendum - Communications to and from Governments
A/HRC/14/24/Add.6Addendum - Study on targeted killings
A/HRC/14/24/Add.7Addendum - Election - related violence and killings
A/HRC/14/24/Add.8Addendum - Study on police oversight mechanisms
2009
11th session of the Human Rights Council
(June 2009) ​		 A/HRC/11/2Responding to reprisals against individuals assisting the Special Rapporteur in his work; Upholding the prohibition against the execution of juvenile offenders; The killing of witches; The use of lethal force in the process of policing public assemblies
A/HRC/11/2/Add.1Addendum – Communications to and from Governments
2008
8th session of the human rights council ​		 A/HRC/8/3Role of national commissions of inquiry in impunity for extrajudicial executions; Right to seek pardon or commutation of a death sentence; Prisoners running prisons
A/HRC/8/3/Corr.1Addendum - Corrigendum
2007
4th session of the Human Rights Council
(March 2007) ​		 A/HRC/4/20The mandate of the Special Rapporteur in armed conflicts; Imposing the death penalty only for the "most serious crimes"; The prohibition of the mandatory death penalty
A/HRC/4/20/Add.1Communications to and from Governments
2006
62nd session CHR ​ ​		 E/CN.4/2006/53 Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/2006/53/Add.1 Communications to and from Governments
E/CN.4/2006/53/Add.3 Report on transparency on the death penalty
2005
61st session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2005/7
E/CN.4/2005/7/Corr.1		Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/2005/7/Add.1 Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received
2004
60th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2004/7
E/CN.4/2004/7/Corr.1		Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/2004/7/Add.1Summary or arbitrary executions - Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial. Summary of cases transmitted and replies received
2003
59th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2003/3Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
Report of the Special Rapporteur
E/CN.4/2003/3/Add.1Summary or arbitrary executions - Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial. Summary of cases transmitted and replies received
2002
58th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2002/74Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions - Report of the Special Rapporteur
E/CN.4/2002/74/Add.2Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions - Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received
2001
57th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2001/9/Corr.1Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions - Report of the Special Rapporteur
E/CN.4/2001/9/Add.1Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received
2000
56th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/2000/3Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions - Report of the special rapporteur
E/CN.4/2000/3/Add.1Extrajudicial and summary executions - Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received
1999
55th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/1999/39Report of the Special Rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/1999/39/Add.1Report of the Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: country situations
1998
54th session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/1998/68Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/1998/68/Add.1Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Country situations
1997
53rd session CHR ​		 E/CN.4/1997/60Report of the Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
E/CN.4/1997/60/Add.1Report of the Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: country situations
1996
52nd session CHR 		E/CN.4/1996/4Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: country situations
1995
51st session CHR 		E/CN.4/1995/61Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur: Country situations
1994
50th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1994/7Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur. Country situations
1993
49th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1993/46Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions: Country situations
1992
48th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1992/30Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1991
47th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1991/36Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1990
46th session CHR		 E/CN.4/1990/22Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1989
45th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1989/25Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1988
44th session
CHR		 E/CN.4/1988/22Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1987
43rd session CHR 		E/CN.4/1987/20Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1986
42nd session CHR 		E/CN.4/1986/21Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1985
41st session CHR		 E/CN.4/1985/17Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
1984
40th session CHR 		E/CN.4/1984/29Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur

1983
39th session CHR

​		 E/CN.4/1983/16

Summary or arbitrary executions: Report by the Special Rapporteur
E/CN.4/1983/16/Add.1
E/CN.4/1983/Add.1/Corr.1		Summary or arbitrary executions: Communications from Governments

Reports to the GA


Year Report and related links Subject of the report
2020
75th session
GA 		A/75/384
View report page		Human rights standards and possible steps towards the respectful and lawful handling of mass graves
2019
74th session
GA 		A/74/318Application of the death penalty to foreign nationals and the provision of consular assistance by the home State
2018
73rd session
GA 		A/73/314Saving lives is not a crime
2017
72nd session
GA 		A/72/335Unlawful death of refugees and migrants
2016
71st session
GA 		A/71/372Review and update of some of the issues considered between 2010-2016
2015
70th session
GA 		A/70/304
The role of forensics investigations in protecting the right to life; the application of the death penalty to foreign nationals
2014
69th session
GA 		A/69/265The role of regional human rights systems; less lethal and unmanned weapons in law enforcement; resumptions of the death penalty; and the role of statistical indicators)
2013
68th session
GA 		A/68/382
Corrigendum		Armed drones and the right to life
2012
67th session
GA 		A/67/275Restrictions on the death penalty
2011
66th session
GA 		A/66/330Protection of the right to life in the context of arrests
2010
65th session
GA 		A/65/321New technologies and human rights fact-finding, targeted killings and accountability, and extrajudicial executions and robotic technologies
2009
64th session
GA 		A/64/187Vigilante killings and mob justice
2008
63rd session
GA 		A/63/313The role of witness protection in ending the cycle of impunity for extrajudicial executions; Making military justice systems human rights compatible
2006
61st session
GA 		A/61/311Interim report on the worldwide situation in regard to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
2004
59th session
GA 		A/59/319Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
2002
57th session
GA 		A/57/138Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
2000
55th session
GA 		A/55/288Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
1999
54th session
GA 		A/54/660Situation of human rights in East Timor
1998
53rd session
GA 		A/53/337Note by the Secretary-General on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
1996
51st session
GA ​ ​		 A/51/457Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
A/51/538/Add.1The situation of human rights in Nigeria
A/51/538Joint report on the situation of human rights in Nigeria of the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and on the independence of judges and lawyers
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Targeted killings through armed drones

Contact information

Mr. Morris Tidball-Binz
Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneve 10
Switzerland

Email: eje@ohchr.org