The Division also handles matters in the following areas of expertise, where appropriate together with other units of the FDFA and Federal Administration:

  • human rights, the ratification of human rights instruments and reporting to the relevant United Nations committees
  • combating terrorism (foreign policy coordination), human rights compliance and international humanitarian law in counterterrorism
  • legal status of diplomatic and consular representations and their staff (foreign representations in Switzerland and Swiss representations abroad:  embassies, consulates and permanent missions to the international organisations in Geneva)
  • legal status of international organisations and their staff in Switzerland, and of international conferences organised in Switzerland
  • international criminal justice, in particular in connection with the International Criminal Court
  • international humanitarian law, initiatives to clarify or strengthen this body of law to ensure that it meets the challenges of contemporary armed conflicts
  • Secretariat of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC)

Last update 14.04.2023

Contact

FDFA Directorate of International Law (DIL)

Kochergasse 10
3003 Berne

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