UN expert on human rights defenders to visit Turkey

The United Nations expert specializing on the protection of human rights defenders is scheduled to visit Turkey in December at the invitation of the Ankara government.

The Special Representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Hina Jilani, will visit four areas in Turkey and speak with government leaders and members of non-governmental organizations.

Ms. Jilani's visit is intended to assess the situation of human rights defenders in the country, and specifically the legal framework in which they work, according to a news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

She will present the findings and recommendations of her visit in a report to the UN Commission on Human Rights.

Ms. Jilani, an advocate at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, was appointed Special Representative in August 2000. This will be her sixth country visit.