Manfred Nowak
Encyclopedia
Manfred Nowak is an Austria
n human rights
lawyer.
Nowak was a student of Felix Ermacora
, and cooperated with him until Ermacora's death in 1995. They co-founded the Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte
(with Hannes Tretter
) in 1992. Currently he is Scientific Director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte (jointly with Hannes Tretter).
Nowak was a member of the Austrian delegation to United Nations Commission on Human Rights
1986–1993. From 1987 to 1989 he was director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) at the Utrecht University
.
Nowak was one of the judges of the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina
between March 1996 and December 2003. He was also the vice president of the Chamber between December 1997 and December 1998.
From 2004 to October 2010 Nowak was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, and was one of the five authors of a United Nations report on the detention of captives at the United States naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where serious torture was going on daily.
In 2005 Nowak visited China, claiming that torture remained "widespread" there. He also complained of Chinese officials interfering with his work.
In September 2006 he alleged that torture may be more of a problem in Iraq since the Iraq War than under Saddam Hussein
's regime. Much of the torture, he argued, is carried out by security forces
, militias and insurgents
.
From 6 to 9 November 2006, he presented at the international panel at Gadjah Mada University
for adoption of Yogyakarta Principles
and has become one of the 29 signatories.
In February 2008 Nowak was a founding member of the 'Research Platform Human Rights in the European Context' at the University of Vienna.
In January of 2009, Nowak appeared on Germany's ZDF
television saying he believed the United States had a clear obligation to bring proceedings against President George W. Bush
and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
, because of torture inflicted on detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. Nowak said, "We have seen the documents that show that these interrogation methods were expressly ordered by Rumsfeld, but of course with the knowledge of the highest levels in the United States."
Novak looked into allegations from Manning supporters that U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning, accused of leaking classified documents to the website WikiLeaks
, was mistreated in military custody.
Nowak gives an account of his work as Special Rapporteur in the Journal of Human Rights Practice.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
lawyer.
Nowak was a student of Felix Ermacora
Felix Ermacora
Felix Ermacora was the leading human rights expert of Austria and a member of the Austrian People's Party...
, and cooperated with him until Ermacora's death in 1995. They co-founded the Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte
Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte
Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte is a research institute affiliated with the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, that specializes in the area of human rights. It was founded in 1992 by Felix Ermacora, Manfred Nowak and Hannes Tretter. Felix Ermacora served as its first director, as of...
(with Hannes Tretter
Hannes Tretter
Hannes Tretter is an Austrian lawyer and human rights expert. He is Professor of Human Rights at the University of Vienna and Director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte, which he cofounded with Felix Ermacora and Manfred Nowak in 1992...
) in 1992. Currently he is Scientific Director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte (jointly with Hannes Tretter).
Nowak was a member of the Austrian delegation to United Nations Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
1986–1993. From 1987 to 1989 he was director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) at the Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
.
Nowak was one of the judges of the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina , which was active between March 1996 and 31 December 2003, was a judicial body established in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Annex 6 to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina .-Structure:The Chamber had the mandate...
between March 1996 and December 2003. He was also the vice president of the Chamber between December 1997 and December 1998.
From 2004 to October 2010 Nowak was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, and was one of the five authors of a United Nations report on the detention of captives at the United States naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where serious torture was going on daily.
In 2005 Nowak visited China, claiming that torture remained "widespread" there. He also complained of Chinese officials interfering with his work.
In September 2006 he alleged that torture may be more of a problem in Iraq since the Iraq War than under Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime. Much of the torture, he argued, is carried out by security forces
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, militias and insurgents
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
.
From 6 to 9 November 2006, he presented at the international panel at Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University
The Gadjah Mada University is the largest and the oldest national university in Indonesia . founded on December 19, 1949; although the first lecture was given on 13 March 1946. The name was taken from the name of Majapahit's Prime Minister, Gajah Mada.UGM is located in Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa...
for adoption of Yogyakarta Principles
Yogyakarta Principles
The Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is a set of principles relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, intended to apply international human rights law standards to address the abuse of the...
and has become one of the 29 signatories.
In February 2008 Nowak was a founding member of the 'Research Platform Human Rights in the European Context' at the University of Vienna.
In January of 2009, Nowak appeared on Germany's ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
television saying he believed the United States had a clear obligation to bring proceedings against President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, because of torture inflicted on detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. Nowak said, "We have seen the documents that show that these interrogation methods were expressly ordered by Rumsfeld, but of course with the knowledge of the highest levels in the United States."
Novak looked into allegations from Manning supporters that U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning, accused of leaking classified documents to the website WikiLeaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
, was mistreated in military custody.
Nowak gives an account of his work as Special Rapporteur in the Journal of Human Rights Practice.