GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, will conduct an official visit to Chile from 29 July to 9 August 2024.
Satterthwaite will assess measures taken by the Chilean State to ensure the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and prosecution service, as well as the free exercise of the legal profession.
The Special Rapporteur will address issues related to the structure, organisation and functioning of the judiciary; the administration of justice; the protection of the actors of the justice system; fair trial, including from a gender perspective. She will also examine equal access to justice and legal assistance, seeking to understand how people in Chile experience the judicial system.
The expert will meet Government officials and members of the Parliament, judges, prosecutors and lawyers. She will also meet representatives of civil society, academia, UN agencies, and the diplomatic community.
Satterthwaite will hold a press conference on Friday 9 August at 11:30 (local time) at the Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Santiago. Access is strictly limited to journalists.
The Special Rapporteur will present her report to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.
