OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Act on the Independent National Human Rights Institution of
Iceland
TABLE OF CONTENT
I.
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 3
II.
SCOPE OF REVIEW ................................................................................ 3
III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................... 4
IV. ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................... 6
1. International Standards on National Human Rights Institutions .......................................... 6
2. General Comments ..................................................................................................................... 7
2.1. Institutional Framework on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in Iceland ..... 8
2.2. The Independence of the NHRI from Other State Institutions/Bodies ................................. 10
3. The Mandate of the NHRI of Iceland ...................................................................................... 11
3.1. The Scope of the Mandate ................................................................................................... 11
3.2. The Lack of a Complaints-Handling Mandate .................................................................... 12
3.3. The NHRI’s Powers to Seek Information ............................................................................ 13
4. The Board of Directors of the NHRI ....................................................................................... 14
4.1. Appointment of the Board of Directors ............................................................................... 14
4.2. The Expiration of the Term, Resignation, Death, and Dismissal of the Members of the
Board of Directors .............................................................................................................. 17
4.3. Other Comments .................................................................................................................. 18
5. The NHRI’s Functional immunity ........................................................................................... 19
6. The NHRI’s Autonomy in Human Resources Management and Financial Independence 21
6.1. The NHRIs’ Autonomy in Human Resources Management................................................. 21
6.2. The NHRI’s Budget ............................................................................................................. 23
7. Other Comments ....................................................................................................................... 25
Annex:
Draft Act on the Independent National Human Rights Institution of Iceland
2