Who this is relevant for
This service is intended for cross-border criminal cases, NGO investigations, documented corporate-rights concerns and situations involving more than one protected right. It is also useful when earlier submissions fragmented the facts or repeated similar allegations in ways that could obscure the underlying chronology.
Scope and procedure
Submission to Special Procedures does not entitle a party to a joint letter or a chosen group of signatories. The communications process is controlled by mandate-holders, and OHCHR may route the same information to the experts it considers relevant. Our task is to identify plausible mandates, clarify the different fact patterns and avoid exaggerated legal claims or unnecessary duplication.
Evidence, strategy and submission preparation
We build a common evidence ledger with event IDs, date, actor, corroboration level and potential rights implications. We then map each allegation to the specific mandate and to any ongoing treaty-body or national process. In sensitive cases we review whether the same facts should be shared across teams and whether publicity may endanger witnesses.
Practical checklist
- Create one verified master chronology for all alleged conduct.
- Map each distinct allegation to its relevant mandate and legal basis.
- Identify which materials are confidential, shareable or suitable for publication.
- Separate acts attributable to different states and private actors.
- Avoid duplicate narratives and claims of automatic joint UN action.
Key considerations and documents
| Issue | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Judicial pressure + detention | Judges and lawyers mandate; Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. |
| Corporate surveillance + privacy | Business and human rights; right to privacy. |
| Transnational threats + expression | Relevant country mandate; freedom of expression; defenders. |
| Removal + torture risk | Special Rapporteur on torture; distinct CAT or domestic remedies analysis. |
What outcomes and limitations should you expect?
A multidisciplinary submission is not automatically stronger. Too many speculative claims can undermine credibility. The experts retain full discretion over selection, content and publication of communications; they do not become a coordinated litigation team acting on instructions from the applicant.
How our team can help
Our assistance is scoped in writing: initial eligibility and risk review; document and chronology preparation; independent research; drafting and quality assurance; and, where relevant, coordination with admitted counsel. We explain deliverables and exclusions before an engagement and never charge for privileged access to a UN process.
Frequently asked questions
Can we address four Rapporteurs in one filing?
One well-prepared submission can indicate several relevant mandates, but OHCHR and the experts control routing and any joint action.
Should we file the same facts separately?
Usually consider a common evidence record first; unnecessary duplicate submissions can create inconsistencies.
Can companies be included?
Special Procedures may send communications to businesses and other actors where mandates and evidence support the concern.
Request an assessment
Request a multi-mandate relevance map based on a single verified case chronology.
Next step: Request a confidential case assessment.
Related pages
- UN Special Rapporteur Complaint Preparation
- UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
- UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy
- Transnational Repression and UN Human Rights Complaints
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.