Who this is relevant for
Contact requests may come from individuals, authorised family representatives, law firms, advocates or organisations. If your matter concerns an immediate threat, choose local emergency protection and qualified local counsel rather than relying on an email reply.
Scope and procedure
The production contact page must show a verified business name, jurisdiction, functioning official email and any applicable office details. Where no postal office has been confirmed, do not invent one. Never publish phone numbers or addresses from placeholder content.
Evidence, strategy and submission preparation
A suitable enquiry states the relevant country, issue category, domestic procedure status, urgency and a safe contact preference. It should not contain extensive medical data, arrest warrants or full witness files. Those records belong in a protected second-stage intake if an engagement is appropriate.
Practical checklist
- Use a safe return email and indicate preferred contact language.
- Select Special Procedures, Treaty Bodies or 'Not sure'.
- Describe the issue in no more than a short paragraph.
- Flag immediate safety or forced-removal concerns.
- Do not include secret identifiers or raw case attachments in the first message.
Key considerations and documents
| Issue | What to verify |
|---|---|
| General enquiry | Information about services and possible scope. |
| Case screening | Use the structured assessment page for confidential qualification. |
| Media enquiries | Separate publication and consent process. |
| Official UN filing | Use the relevant OHCHR official submission portal instead. |
What outcomes and limitations should you expect?
No response time or office opening hours should be invented. Form submission must have real server-side handling, spam prevention, abuse monitoring and a retention schedule. If these are not configured, show a clear unavailable state rather than falsely indicating that an enquiry was sent.
How our team can help
The firm or service provider must identify its actual responsible legal entity, the qualifications of its professionals and the limits of services offered. Prospective clients receive a clear description of the scope, confidentiality practices and potential conflicts before sensitive materials are requested.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take my complaint directly to a Special Rapporteur?
We can prepare materials within a defined engagement; the actual submission follows the appropriate official process.
Can I send my national case files by email?
Do not send sensitive case files until a secure method and confidentiality arrangements have been agreed.
Where can I submit information myself?
Use the official OHCHR submission portal, linked in the resources on this page.
Request an assessment
Use the assessment form for a fact-sensitive enquiry; use the official OHCHR portal if you are filing independently.
Next step: Request a confidential case assessment.
Related pages
- Confidential Human Rights Case Assessment
- How We Prepare UN Human Rights Submissions
- How to File a UN Human Rights Complaint: Choose the Correct Procedure
Official references
Independent informational website. Not an official United Nations or OHCHR service. UN mechanisms assess matters independently; filing does not guarantee intervention, an outcome or a particular timeline.