In a letter to the President of the Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, the International Service for Human Rights and other human rights organisations have called on the Council President to take urgent steps to ensure the appointment of highly qualified individuals to the vacant positions of UN human rights experts.

Among other mandates, the position of Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders must be filled in March. The signatory organisations expressed concern that, with the expected late start to the selection process, the Human Rights Council's ability to select the candidates best suited to meet the required criteria for each mandate will be jeopardised.

Read the letter here.