WASHINGTON, CMC—Guyana’s Dr. Arif Bulkan has been named the second vice president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), which announced the formation of its new board of directors for 2025.
José Luis Caballero Ochoa from Mexico heads the board, which also includes Andrea Pochak from Argentina, who was appointed first vice president.
Bulkan has been a member of the IACHR since 2024. He is a lawyer and academic who has worked in constitutional, human rights, and criminal law. He was an expert member and vice-president of the UN Human Rights Committee.
The IACHR, a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mission is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights, said it wanted to reaffirm its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in the region.
The election was held on Wednesday, the first day of the 192nd Period of Sessions, and the new president has been described as having had “a solid track record and a deep commitment to justice and equity.”
The Inter-American Commission is composed of seven persons, including the three previously mentioned: Commissioner Edgar Stuardo Ralón Orellana of Guatemala, Commissioner Roberta Clarke of Barbados, Commissioner Carlos Bernal Pulido of Colombia, and Commissioner Gloria Monique de Mees of Suriname.
The IACHR said that on this occasion, Clark will lead the rapporteur for defenders and justice operators, while Bulkan will lead the rapporteur for LGBTI persons.
The thematic rapporteur ships from the 35 OAS countries are distributed among the seven commissioned persons, with the objective of providing a more strategic follow-up in compliance with the IACHR’s mandate.
The IACHR is comprised of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly in an individual capacity, without representing their countries of origin or residence.
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