Mohamed Chande Othman (born 1 January 1952) is a
Tanzanian
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
lawyer and a former
Chief Justice of Tanzania
The chief justice of Tanzania is the highest post in the judicial system of Tanzania. The chief justice is appointed by the president and presides over the Court of Appeal of Tanzania.
History
After the First World War, the former German-governed ...
.
Internationally he is highly respected for his deep understanding of political, legal and other dimensions relating to International Humanitarian Law, Refugee Law, Criminal Law and Evidence, and Peacekeeping. He held various positions as expert advisor and UN prosecutor at criminal tribunals such as the
UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
, the
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...
(
UNTAET
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), ( pt, Administração Transitória das Nações Unidas em Timor Leste), was a United Nations mission in East Timor that aimed to solve the decades long East Timorese cri ...
), the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR; french: Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda; rw, Urukiko Mpanabyaha Mpuzamahanga Rwashyiriweho u Rwanda) was an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nation ...
(
ICTR),
UN Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis ...
for a) the
Israel-Lebanon Armed Conflict and b) the
Southern Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
.
Currently he is head of the UN Independent Panel of Experts that examine new information on
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( , ; 29 July 1905 – 18 September 1961) was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 196 ...
s death.
Education
* ''LL.B (Hon),
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is a public university in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It was established in 1961 as an affiliate college of the University of London. The university became an affiliate of the University of East Africa (UEA) in ...
, 1974''
* ''M.A (International Relations)
Webster University, Geneva, Switzerland, 1982''
* ''Certificate,
The Hague Academy of International Law
The Hague Academy of International Law (french: Académie de droit international de La Haye) is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Courses are taugh ...
, the Netherlands, 1983''
Biography
United Nations High Level positions
* Head of the UN Independent Panel of Experts, charged with the assessment and examination of new information relating to the tragic death of the former UN Secretary-General
Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( , ; 29 July 1905 – 18 September 1961) was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 196 ...
(since Mar. 2015)
*
UN Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis ...
's:
Member of the High-Level Commission of Inquiry into the Situation in Lebanon following the
Israel-Lebanon Armed Conflict (2006)
*
UN Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis ...
's:
Independent Expert on the human rights situation in the Sudan (2009–2010). He visits
Southern Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
and the
Abyei
The Abyei Area ( ar, منطقة أبيي) is an area of on the border between South Sudan and the Sudan that has been accorded "special administrative status" by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict (Abyei Protocol) in ...
area.
*
Prosecutor general of
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...
(
UNTAET
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), ( pt, Administração Transitória das Nações Unidas em Timor Leste), was a United Nations mission in East Timor that aimed to solve the decades long East Timorese cri ...
) (Jun-1999 – Jul-2002)
*
Chief of Prosecutions of the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR; french: Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda; rw, Urukiko Mpanabyaha Mpuzamahanga Rwashyiriweho u Rwanda) was an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nation ...
(
ICTR) (1998–2000)
Tanzania Justice Department positions
*
Chief Justice of
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
(Dec. 2010 – Jan. 2017 )
* High Court Judge (Dec. 2003 – Oct. 2004)
* Appeal Court Judge (Aug. 2004 – Feb. 2008)
Other Legal and Professional experience
Member of the board of trusteesof the
Aga Khan University (since 2017)
* Expert advisor for the
Africa Group for Justice and Accountability – Wayamo Foundation.
* Senior Legal and Justice Reform Advisor for
UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
* Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Inquiry on the Relocation of Pastoralists and their Livestock from Usanga Valley in Ihefu, Mbarali District, Tanzania
* Public Prosecutor for the
Bank of Tanzania
The Bank of Tanzania ( sw, Benki Kuu ya Tanzania) is the central bank of the United Republic of Tanzania. It is responsible for issuing the national currency, the Tanzanian shilling.
The bank was established under the Bank of Tanzania Act 196 ...
* Working with the
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
* Co-founder of the Sidéco Group Ltd., International Development and Trade Corporation in
Geneva
, neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier
, website = https://www.geneve.ch/
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
(1983)
Publications
* ''Accountability for International Humanitarian law Violations: The Case of Rwanda and East Timor'', Springer Publishers, Heidelberg, Germany, 2005
* ''
'The Framework of Prosecutions and the Court System in East Timor in New Approaches in International Criminal Justice, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 2003
* ''"Defense Practices and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal"'', in Bohlander, M, Boed, R, Wilsn, R.J, (Eds.) Defense in International Criminal Proceedings, Transitional Publishers Inc., N.Y, 2006
* ''The Protection of Refugee Witnesses by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda'', International Journal of Refugee Law, Volume 14, No. 4, May 2003
* ''The Gulf Wars and Termination of Captivity for Prisoners of War'', Revue de Droit International des Sciences Diplomatiques et Politiques (The International Law Review) Jan-Mars 1993, 11–36, Geneva, 1993
See also
*
Chief Justice of Tanzania
The chief justice of Tanzania is the highest post in the judicial system of Tanzania. The chief justice is appointed by the president and presides over the Court of Appeal of Tanzania.
History
After the First World War, the former German-governed ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Othman, Mohamed
1952 births
Chief justices of Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam alumni
Webster University alumni
Living people