Professor M. Cherif
Bassiouni (1937-2017)
Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni was the father of the Siracusa International Institute, a renowned jurist driven by an inexhaustible passion for upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights. He passed away on 25 September 2017 in Chicago, at the age of 79.
M. Cherif Bassiouni was Emeritus Professor of Law at DePaul University where he taught from 1964-2009. He was a founding member of the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University which was established in 1990. He served as President from 1990-2008 and then President Emeritus. In 1972, he was one of the founders of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences (ISISC) – currently the Siracusa International Institute – located in Siracusa, Italy, where he served as General-Secretary from 1972-74, Dean from 1974-1988, President from 1988-2015 and Honorary President from 2015. He also served as the Secretary General of the International Association of Penal Law from 1974-1989 and as President for three five-year terms from 1989-2004.
Professor Bassiouni was a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. in 1972; Visiting Professor of Law, New York University Law School in 1971; Fulbright-Hays Professor of International Criminal Law, University of Freiburg, Germany in 1970; non-resident Professor of Criminal Law at University of Cairo from 1997-2007. He also lectured at various universities in the United States and abroad.
Since 1975, Professor Bassiouni has been appointed to 22 United Nations positions, including the following: Chair and then member of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011-12); Independent Expert on Human Rights for Afghanistan (2004-06); Independent Expert on the Rights to Restitution, Compensation, and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1998-2000); Chair, Drafting Committee of the Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1998); Vice-Chair of the General Assembly’s Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1996-98); Vice-Chair of the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1995); Chair of the Commission of Experts Established Pursuant to Security Council 780 to Investigate Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Former Yugoslavia (1993-94) and the Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Gathering and Analysis of the Facts (1992-93); Consultant to the Sixth and Seventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention (1983 and 1985); Consultant to the Committee on Southern African of the Commission on Human Rights (1980-81); Co-chair of the Independent Committee of Experts Drafting the Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture (1978); and Honorary Vice-President at the Fifth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention (1975).
He also served as Chair of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry which was established in 2011.
Between 1973-2003, Professor Bassiouni served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and Department of Justice on projects relating to international traffic of drugs (1973), international control of terrorism (1975 and 1978-79), the defense of the U.S. hostages in Iran (1979-1980), governance and democracy projects in the Middle East and North Africa (1991-92), and the future of the Iraqi justice system (2002-03).
Documents & Reports
Final report of the Commission of Experts on former Yugoslavia (1993-94)
Final report of the Commission of Experts on former Yugoslavia (1993-94)
Nomination to the Nobel Peace Prize (1999)
Nomination to the Nobel Peace Prize (1999)
Report of the independent expert
of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2004)
Report of the independent expert
of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2004)
Report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2005)
Report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2005)
Final report of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011-12)
Final report of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011-12)
Report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2005)
Report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (2005)
Final report of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011-12)
Final report of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011-12)
He also served as Chair of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry which was established in 2011.
Between 1973-2003, Professor Bassiouni served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and Department of Justice on projects relating to international traffic of drugs (1973), international control of terrorism (1975 and 1978-79), the defense of the U.S. hostages in Iran (1979-1980), governance and democracy projects in the Middle East and North Africa (1991-92), and the future of the Iraqi justice system (2002-03).
