JRR Signs a Privileges & Immunities Agreement with Switzerland

,BERN, 18 December, 2025 – Federal Council Concludes Privileges and Immunities Agreement with Justice Rapid Response

Today, an agreement conferring privileges and immunities to Justice Rapid Response (JRR) was signed on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council by Mr. Franz Perrez, head of the Directorate of International Law of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and by Mr. Samuel Emonet, Executive Director of JRR.

In view of the strategic role that JRR plays in relation to furthering justice and accountability processes across the globe, the Swiss Federal Council decided on the basis of the Host State Act to afford the organisation special status by concluding an agreement on privileges and immunities. Through this agreement, Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to strengthening International Geneva and consolidating its role as a global centre for peace, justice, and human rights.

“For JRR, this is a decisive moment that strengthens our partnership with Switzerland,” indicated Mr. Emonet after the signature ceremony. “It will enable us to further develop our operations in Geneva, and contribute to attaining our vision where all victims and survivors of international crimes and grave human rights violations have access to justice,” he continued.

JRR was founded fifteen years ago and is headquartered in Geneva. It is the only global facility that provides prompt, impartial and professional expertise to investigate international crimes and serious human rights violations, and to enable a holistic, gender-sensitive, and inclusive approach to justice processes. To achieve this, JRR partners with all actors of justice including international and regional justice and human rights mechanisms, national authorities and civil society organizations involved in justice and accountability processes.

The organization is currently active in approximately 25 country situations across the globe, including Colombia, The Gambia, Ukraine and Syria, and completes close to 90 deployments of experts per year. It maintains a Roster of over 750 justice and human rights experts representing 50 categories of professions.

JRR wishes to thank its attorneys, Me Vincent Pfammater and Me Alma Marchand, for their support and sound advice in this process.

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