Scottish Human Rights Commission announce new appointments

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has announced the appointment of two new officeholders to the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

Ms Susan Kemp and Dr Alan Mitchell will take up office as part-time members of the SHRC on 1 May 2015. Their appointments are for 6 years. 

Ms Kemp is a lawyer specialising in international criminal and human rights law. For the last 16 years she has worked in Latin America, Africa and Europe representing victims, investigating human rights abuses and providing technical assistance to state prosecutors.

Susan served on the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict, while working for the Department of Peacekeeping in New York.

Previously she was an Investigator with the International Criminal Court in The Hague and legal adviser to civil society organisations including the Scottish Refugee Council, Impunity Watch and the International Center for Transitional Justice.

Dr Alan Mitchell has a background in General Medical Practice and is currently Clinical Director of the East Renfrewshire Community Health and Care Partnership.

Alan’s clinical work is mainly within Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre where he is a GP providing general medical services to those held in immigration detention. Since 2002 Alan has been engaged as an expert by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and has participated in a number of visits of the Committee to places of detention across the 47 member states of the Council of Europe.

The new members replace the outgoing members, Professor Kay Hampton and Shelagh McCall, who have both been in office since the Commission was established in 2008.

Further information about the Commission can be found at: http://www.scottishhumanrights.com/