Staff
Our staff are drawn from across the world and a variety of legal traditions. The Secretariat is based in Switzerland, with offices in Thailand, Belgium, Nepal and Tunisia.
Secretary General
Santiago A. Canton
Secretary General
Santiago A. Canton is an Argentine jurist with an extensive career in working to advance human rights, the rule of law and democracy. He was Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR and Executive Director of the human rights program of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. He was also Chair of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and developed a close relationship with the regional human rights intergovernmental organisations. He served as Secretary of Human Rights for the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and in 2005, Mr. Canton was awarded the Inter-American Press Association´s Chapultepec Grand Prize for his contributions to the promotion, development, strengthening, and defence of the principles of freedom of expression. Santiago Canton has been Senior Fellow of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Inter-American Dialogue and an international visiting scholar at American University, Washington College of Law. He holds a law degree from the University of Buenos Aires and a master’s degree in International Law from the Washington College of Law of American University.
Legal & Policy Office
Ian Seiderman
Senior Legal and Policy Director
Ian Seiderman has served with the ICJ from 2000 – 2005 and from 2008 to present. He served as Senior Legal Adviser for Amnesty International from 2005 – 2008. He has advised both organisations on a broad range of legal and policy questions in the areas of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. From 1994 – 1997, he was legal assistant to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Sir Nigel Rodley. He also served as a researcher for the Netherlands Institute of Human rights and as a staff attorney with the US-based Central American Refugee Center. He holds a PhD cum laude (Utrecht University); LLM (Essex University); JD (City University of New York at Queens College) and BA (University of Pennsylvania).
Livio Zilli
Deputy Programme Director
Livio joined the ICJ in September 2013. Until mid-2013 he was the Acting Head of the refugee and migrant rights team at the international secretariat of Amnesty International in London. Livio was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2007, and is an honorary member of Garden Court Chambers in London where he practised as a barrister until 2010 focussing on asylum and immigration, criminal and public law. Before going to the bar, Livio worked at the international secretariat of Amnesty International where, since the mid-90s, he was employed in various capacities, including as researcher until 2007. Livio holds an L.L.M. in international human rights law from the Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Sandra Epal-Ratjen
International Advocacy Director
Sandra Epal-Ratjen worked with the ICJ as the Head of the Programme on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights between 2010 and 2015. Between 2015 and 2023, she served as the International Advocacy Director and Deputy Executive Director of Franciscans International (FI), where she was directly involved in international standard-setting processes on business and human rights, and environment and human rights. Previous to this, she worked for over 10 years for Food First Information and Action Network (FIAN) International, based in Heidelberg, Germany. Sandra has extensive experience and expertise in international legal and advocacy processes, especially in the areas of economic, social and cultural rights, access to justice, business and human rights and environmental justice. She holds a Master’s degree in French and International Public Law and International Relations from the University of Grenoble, France. She has authored numerous publications and papers on the issues of human rights, development and access to justice, and regularly lectures at universities and academic institutions, including the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and Sciences Po Paris.
Nikunja Nepal
Programme Manager
Kate Vigneswaran
Global Accountability Initiative Director
Kate is an Australian qualified lawyer and an international human rights, humanitarian and criminal law expert who has advocated for accountability for violations of international law in multiple country contexts. Previously, Kate worked for the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (‘ICTY’) on numerous trial and appeal cases, as a senior expert with the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (‘UNODC’) on multi-year programmes in Eastern Africa and Southeast Asia, and as a legal advisor to the UK Ministry of Justice’s Human Rights Unit. She has also worked with numerous human rights NGOs documenting and reporting on violations and abuses of international humanitarian and human rights law in countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia; building the capacity of justice system actors and civil society to address impunity; and advocating for reforms of law, policies and practices necessary to prevent, deter and remedy crimes.
Raquel Saavedra
Legal Advisor
Sher Alam Ibrahimi
Legal Consultant
Jessica Hajj
Finance Officer
Europe and Central Asia Programme
Temur Shakirov
Programme Director ad interim & Senior Legal Adviser
Temur Shakirov specialises in international law with a focus on criminal justice process, fair trial, independence of judges and lawyers and implementation of international human rights obligations by States. Temur joined the Europe and Europe and Central Asia Programme of the ICJ in Geneva in early 2009. He has carried out research, missions and other work related to the justice system, focusing particularly on Europe and Central Asia States including the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Central Asian and others. Temur obtained his LL.M from Washington College of Law of the American University in DC. He previously graduated from the Tashkent State Institute of Law and the Uzbek World Languages University. Before joining the ICJ Temur worked at the Tashkent City Bar Association and the ABA/CEELI in Uzbekistan.
Karolína Babická
Senior Legal Adviser
Karolína Babická specializes in international law and EU law, especially the rights of migrants and refugees, children’s rights, rule of law, ESC rights, counter-terrorism and rights of persons with disabilities. She joined the Europe and Central Asia Programme of the ICJ in Brussels in 2016. She carries out research, legal analysis and strategic litigation and coordinates work of the programme in the European Union, and to some extent beyond – in Montenegro or Tajikistan. Karolína holds a PhD. in international and European law and an M.A. in law from Charles University in Prague and the Certificate of European Asylum and Migration Law from the Odysseus Network, Université Libre de Bruxelles. Before joining the ICJ, she worked in various civil society organizations in Brussels and in Prague.
Mouna Raouani
Regional Finance Officer
Mouna Raouani Joined ICJ ECA programme in January 2022, She holds a Bachelor’s and A Master’s degree in Accountancy and she has held increasingly responsible roles supporting the finance and accounts functions in both private and non-profit sector, possessing more than 9 years of experience in key positions in the accounts and finance department including working as a Finance Officer in the ICJ MENA programme. She has managed to gain an extensive insight within this field. Right now, she is working at ICJ Brussels office, managing the finances of the ECA Programme.
Kerem Altiparmak
Senior Legal Consultant, Turkey & Ukraine
Kerem Altiparmak has LLB (1995) and LLM (1998) degrees from Ankara University and a PhD degree from Leeds University (2002). He was the Director of the Human Rights Centre of the Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences until October 2017. He has also worked in a number of human rights projects with human rights NGOs, especially with the Human Rights Joint Platform in Turkey. He also worked with Prof. Yaman Akdeniz (İstanbul Bilgi University) in a number of freedom of expression projects. He won Turkish Publishers Association Award (2014), Halit Çelenk Legal Prize (2015), Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Award (2016) and Press Association of Turkey Press Freedom Prize (2016) with Professor Yaman Akdeniz. He was also the recipient of the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights & the Rule of Law in 2017.
Sabohat Ergasheva
Project Officer, Uzbekistan
Parvina Navruzova
Legal Consultant, Tajikistan
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Sitora Rakhimovo
Junior Legal Consultant, Uzbekistan
Sitora Rakhimova is a Junior Legal Researcher, carrying out research on issues and cases related to economic, social, and cultural rights in Uzbekistan. She also contributes to drafting ICJ Europe & Central Asia Programme statements, briefings, press-releases, advocacy papers on the issues related to the implementation of Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Uzbekistan, as well as reports and legal interventions before International Human Rights bodies.
Sitora had her undergraduate and master’s degrees in international law at UWED (the University of World Economy and Diplomacy). She also studied Sociology of Law at Lund University in Sweden. Previously, she worked as a National Consultant on engagement with national human rights bearers and UN HRMs at OHCHR ROCA (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Regional Office for Central Asia).
Laura Duchamp
Legal Researcher
Laura has legal experience in immigration law, family law, and children’s right protection, having worked for a law firm. Interested in Human Rights and Justice, she also has knowledge and experience of researching and drafting fundraising proposals. Laura holds a double bachelor’s degree in public law and political science from the University of Lyon 2 (France), as well as a Master’s degree in Fundamental Rights Practice from the University of Aix-Marseille (France).
Building on her experience as Administrative Assistant with the Programme, Laura now works as a Legal Researcher, supporting the ECA team with research on human rights and rule of law issues across the region, as well as on European human rights institutions and mechanisms, and other areas of focus for the ECA Programme.
Alessandra d’Alessandro
Legal Intern
Alessandra brings over three years of experience in supervising and implementing procurement processes with United Nations agencies, namely IFAD and WFP, at both Headquarters and Country Office levels. She has also interned with the Human Rights Department of the Italian Mission to the International Organizations in Geneva and the Valter Longo Foundation in Milan. Alessandra holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice and an Integrated Master of Arts in Law from Bocconi University in Milan.
Viktoryia Konashava
Legal Researcher
Viktoryia earned a master’s degree in International Law and European Union Law, where she developed an interest in human rights. She completed a multidisciplinary Erasmus Mundus master’s degree with the focus on Human Rights and Migration at Radboud University in the Netherlands, having previously studied at the University of Glasgow and in Barcelona.
Building on her experience as a Legal Intern with the Programme, Viktoryia now works as a Legal Researcher, supporting the ECA team with research on human rights and rule of law issues across the region, as well as on European human rights institutions and mechanisms, and other areas of focus for the ECA Programme.
Ludivine Lecat
Programme Manager
Ludivine brings over seven years of experience in developing and coordinating humanitarian programmes across Sweden, Uganda and France. She worked with Humanity & Inclusion, DefendDefenders and Civil Rights Defenders, and oversaw complex multi-country projects, conducted field research and managed grants portfolio with various local partners. Ludivine holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action from Paris School of International Affairs / Sciences Po, a master’s degree in International Relations, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Institute of Political Studies of Aix-en-Provence.
Middle East and North Africa Programme
Saïd Benarbia
Director
Shehrazade El-Hajjar
Legal Researcher
Stephen Collins
Legal Adviser
Fedia Chabbeh
Grants Officer
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Mustapha Ghariani
Administrative Assistant
Pauline Baranes
Senior Legal Adviser
Juliette Remond-Tiedrez
Associate Legal Adviser
Olfa Yahiaoui
Finance Officer
Africa
Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh
Director
Timothy Fish Hodgson
Senior Legal Adviser, ESC Rights
Nomah Zibengwa
Regional Finance Officer
Wilson Macharia
Legal Adviser
Wilson is an international human rights law expert with over five years of experience in advocating for human rights, disability rights, digital inclusion and access to justice. As the lead of the disability rights portfolio for the Africa Regional Programme, and the co-lead of the global portfolio, Wilson conducts advocacy through legal research, capacity building and strategic litigation. He has engaged with various stakeholders including Judiciaries, National Human Rights Institutions, Civil Society, special mechanisms and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities at a national and international level.
Wilson has also been involved in national, regional and global advocacy efforts towards the implementation of the CRPD, and the coming into force, domestication, dissemination and implementation of the African Disability Protocol.
He previously worked as a Researcher and Tutor at the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; has consulted for various organizations, including the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the World Bank Group; and played a key role in the development of Kenya’s National Standards on accessibility of ICT products and services. Wilson sits in the Caucus for Disability Rights Advocacy, tasked with providing technical expertise towards an inclusive implementation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
As a self-advocate with disability, Macharia employs various advocacy strategies to ensure the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in multiple sectors. The strategies include litigation; facilitating sensitization sessions worldwide; publishing blogs, articles, book chapters, podcasts and videos on disability inclusion; and participating in global events.
He holds a Law degree from the University of Nairobi, a Master of Laws (LL.M) from the University of Pretoria, and he is currently pursuing a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from the same institution. He has also undertaken several advanced human rights courses and developed publications on various subjects.
Marishet Hamza
Legal Research Consultant
Asia & the Pacific
Melissa Upreti
Director
Reema Omer
Senior Legal Adviser, South Asia
Sanhawan Srisod
Legal Adviser, Thailand
Nawawan Petchwattana
Programme & Finance Officer, SEAP
Nawawan joined the ICJ as an Administration Officer in June 2012. Her prior work experience includes working as an Administrative Associate at the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and as a Secretary in the Consular Section of the Turkish Embassy in Thailand. Nawawan holds a Master of Arts in Labor Economics and Human Resources Management from Chulalongkorn University and Bachelor of Arts degree from Ayutthaya Rajabhat University.
Pooja Shah
Administrator, South Asia
Mandira Sharma
Senior Legal Adviser
Laxmi Pokharel
National Legal Adviser
Karuna Parajuli
National Legal Adviser
Kashiram Dhungana
National Legal Adviser
Mathurabhasini Thamilmaran (Mathuri)
Associate Legal Adviser
Saovanee Kaewjullakarn
Legal Consultant
Caleen Chanyungco Obias
Legal Consultant
Saugat Gautam
Programme Manager
Pratistha Basnet
Finance Officer
Shiwa Chaudhary
Administrative Assistant
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Latin America
Carolina Villadiego Burbano
Latin America Team Leader
Maria Angelica Porto M.
Program and Finance Officer
A Colombian native, María Angélica holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Universidad Javeriana in Bogota and a Master’s degree in International Cooperation and International Organisms from the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain. She joined the ICJ in March 2021 and has previously worked for various regional and international NGOs and organisations, like the United Nations, in countries such as Colombia, the United States, Spain and Portugal. With more than 10 years of experience in human rights project’s management, she has managed multiple projects specifically in the areas of transparency and anti-corruption, public-private initiatives for security, as well as children and women’s economic and social inclusion.
Carlos Lusverti
Legal Adviser Consultant
Juan Felipe Velez Rojas
Communication Consultant
Juan Felipe Vélez Rojas is a Colombian journalist and communications specialist with over 12 years of experience in digital journalism, strategic communications, and multimedia content creation. His work focuses on human rights, international affairs, and social justice, combining in-depth analysis with compelling storytelling. He has collaborated with international organizations, media outlets, and government institutions throughout his career, producing articles, reports, interviews, infographics, and videos that inform and inspire action. He has worked with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Anadolu Agency, the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, among others.
Dunia Ramirez Moino
Legal Adviser
Dunia Ramirez Moino is a Guatemalan lawyer who graduated from Universidad Rafael Landivar with advanced studies in Human Rights and Constitutional Law with over 20 years of professional experience. Before joining the ICJ, Dunia worked with public instititutions in Guatemala, as well as with civil society and international organizations. She worked at the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) as legal officer over 10 years where she focussed on providing technical and legal assistance on anti-corruption and rule of law issues. She was previously the Coordinator of the Unified Registry and Attention to Enforced Disappearances at the Ombudsman’s Office in Guatemala between 2008-2009 and she was a Romulo Gallegos fellow at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2006.
Development & Donor Relations
Sarah Le Mesurier
Director, Programmes and Donor Engagement
Jane Johnson
Head of Fundraising
Janie Crocco
Head of Grants Management and Donor Compliance
Janie advises and supports the ICJ regional teams to ensure that project management and implementation are in compliance with donor rules and applicable regulations, and she works closely with ICJ headquarters to identify and address risks and challenges. She brings several years of experience working on program design and management in the areas of economic development, gender equity and diversity leadership. Her background includes legal advocacy work on migration and poverty law issues, and grants management for both grantee and donor organizations, including the U.S. Department of State. Janie holds a BA in Government & International Relations and an MA in International Development from Clark University, and a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Marina Boca
Communications & Governance Officer
Marina Boca is a multilingual Digital Marketing and Content Management Specialist with more than 10 years of professional experience. She started her career in the private sector in New York and Milan before moving to Geneva working for international organisations such as WIPO, HQAI and WHO in the field of communication, web publication and as a consultant. She has a Master’s in Marketing, Digital Communication & Sales Management and a Postgraduate Master’s degree in Languages and Culture for International Communication and Cooperation.
Finance & Administration
Adina Marcu
Head of Accounting
Lilly Langbehn
HR Manager
Lilly leads the HR function, driving initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness and employee engagement. She ensures compliance with labor laws and promotion of best practices. She brings several years of experience in HR roles with humanitarian NGOs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. She holds a BSc Economics/Finance, an MA in International Humanitarian Aid and the Swiss HRSE certificate. As an HR professional, she sees her role as supporting others to grow into their full potential.