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IACHR
Press Release
Edison Lanza Begins his Mandate as Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression
October 8, 2014
Washington, D.C. – On October 6, Uruguayan lawyer and journalist Edison Lanza began his mandate as Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
Edison Lanza was appointed by the IACHR last July 23, according to Article 15 of the Rules of Procedure of the IACHR, for a period of three years, renewable once.
Lanza replaced Colombian lawyer Catalina Botero, who headed the Office of the Special Rapporteur since 2008 for two consecutive three-year periods.
Since its inception in 1997, the Office of the Special Rapporteur has worked for the promotion of the right to freedom of expression through technical assistance in the processing of cases, precautionary measures and hearings, among others. With the same objective, and in the framework of the IACHR, the Office of the Special Rapporteur has prepared thematic and regional reports, carried out official visits and promotional trips, and participated in dozens of conferences and seminars that have sensitized and trained hundreds of public officials, journalists, and defenders of the right to free expression.
The Commission would like to reiterate its recognition to the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and to the work it will continue to carry out, now under the leadership of Edison Lanza, in the defense and protection of the right to freedom of expression in the region.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
No. 114/14