{{Use Australian English|date=May 2026}} {{Short description|Australian human rights lawyer and academic}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder | alma_mater = University of Tasmania<br>University of Nottingham<br>International Institute of Human Rights<br>Australian National University | occupation = Lawyer, scholar | birth_place = Australia | office = United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | term_start = {{start date|2022|8}} | predecessor = Nils Melzer | title = | 1blankname = Secretary-General | 1namedata = António Guterres | image = Alice Jill Edwards.jpg }}
'''Alice Jill Edwards''' is an Australian lawyer and scholar. She has been the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment since 2022.
==Early life== Edwards was born in Australia and took a bachelor's degree at the University of Tasmania. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Nottingham and a Diploma in International and Comparative Law from the International Institute of Human Rights in France. She returned to Australia to take a PhD in Public International Law at Australian National University.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Edwards |first=Alice Jill |date=2008 |title=Violence against women, feminist theory, and the United Nations human rights treaty bodies |url=https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/10766 |journal= |language=en-AU |doi=10.25911/5d7783fc8b4b4 |via=via Trove}}</ref> She previously worked for Amnesty International and a Mozambique-based NGO.<ref name="OHCHR">{{cite web |title=Dr. Alice Jill Edwards |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-torture/dr-alice-jill-edwards |website=OHCHR |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== Edwards began working at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1998 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by field assignments in Rwanda (twice) and Morocco, rising to become Chief of Section – Protection Policy and Legal Advice, the key institutional legal position, from 2010 until 2015. Then from 2016 until 2021, she led the secretariat of the inter-governmental diplomatic Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI).<ref name="RLI" /> She also sits on the editorial board of the journals ''Torture'' and ''Migration Studies''.<ref name="RLI">{{cite web |title=Dr. Alice Edwards |url=https://rli.sas.ac.uk/people/dr-alice-edwards |website=Refugee Law Initiative |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
She has held an academic appointment in law at the University of Oxford.<ref>https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/mst-international-human-rights-law-faculty</ref>
She was appointed the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in July 2022, taking up the position in August 2022.<ref name="OHCHR" /> In a report presented to the United Nations in March 2023, Edwards stated "the national duty to investigate torture is alarmingly, universally, under-implemented".<ref name="RW">{{cite web |title=National prosecutions key to breaking cycle of impunity for torture: UN expert |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/world/national-prosecutions-key-breaking-cycle-impunity-torture-un-expert |website=Relief Web |date=14 March 2023 |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref> She encouraged countries to do more to investigate allegations of torture.<ref name="UNG">{{cite web |title=Too many nations failing to investigate torture cases, UN expert says |url=https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2023/03/78994/too-many-nations-failing-investigate-torture-cases-un-expert-says |website=UN GENEVA |date=14 March 2023 |access-date=31 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
She investigated torture in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gall |first=Carlotta |date=10 September 2023 |title=Ukrainian Accounts of Torture Point to Systematic Russian Policy, Expert Says |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/10/world/europe/russian-ukraine-torture.html |access-date=10 September 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Prior to Julian Assange's final appeal against extradition to the United States, Edwards urged the UK to stop his extradition because of concerns he would be subject to torture if extradited.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Newman |first1=Ed |title=UN special rapporteur urges UK to halt Julian Assange's extradition, citing torture risk |url=https://www.radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/346461-un-special-rapporteur-urges-uk-to-halt-julian-assanges-extradition-citing-torture-risk |website=www.radiohc.cu |access-date=7 February 2024 |language=en |date=6 February 2024}}</ref> She has since welcomed his release.<ref> {{Cite web |date=25 June 2024 |title=World News in Brief: UN expert welcomes Assange release, more ICC warrants issued over Ukraine, Human Rights Council updates {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/06/1151436 |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=news.un.org |language=en}}</ref>
She has warned the Hong Kong courts not to rely on evidence purportedly obtained via torture in mainland China, in the trial of Jimmy Lai.<ref> {{Cite web |title=Hong Kong SAR: UN expert warns against admission of evidence, allegedly secured through torture, in Jimmy Lai case |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/01/hong-kong-sar-un-expert-warns-against-admission-evidence-allegedly-secured |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref>
She has intervened in the case of Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, alleging that he was being held in prolonged solitary confinement.<ref> https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/pakistan-imran-khans-solitary-confinement-and-inhumane-detention-conditions</ref>
She tried to intervene with Russia on behalf of Alexei Navalny prior to his death in February 2024, alleging that he was being mistreated, was not receiving appropriate medical care for his serious health conditions, and that his constant solitary confinement was against international law<ref> {{Cite web |title=UN torture expert warns of opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s worsening health in Russian detention |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/un-torture-expert-warns-opposition-figure-alexei-navalnys-worsening-health |access-date=16 August 2024}} </ref> And she has since called for a full investigation into his death.<ref> {{Cite web |title=Russia: UN experts call for accountability for Navalny's death and immediate release of all political prisoners |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/russia-un-experts-call-accountability-navalnys-death-and-immediate-release |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref>
She wrote to airlines and aviation regulators together with Gehad Madi and Siobhán Mullally in April 2024 to caution them against moving people seeking asylum to Rwanda on behalf of the British Government as they could be "compliant" in creating human rights violations. Madi, Edwards and Mullally wrote to the airlines as the UN's special rapporteurs on migrants’ human rights, torture and trafficking to identify the need for companies to comply with international human rights laws.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2024 |title=UN experts warn airlines over ‘complicity’ in Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda scheme |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/rishi-sunak-rwanda-flights-un-asylum-b2532731.html |access-date=12 June 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
She has been vocal in respect of the Hamas-Israel armed conflict, calling for accountability for all international crimes.<ref> {{Cite web |title=UN experts call for full and independent investigations into all crimes committed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/11/un-experts-call-full-and-independent-investigations-all-crimes-committed |access-date=16 August 2024}} </ref> She denounced the attacks committed by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 and called for the release of hostages.<ref name=":0"> {{Cite web |title=UN experts demand accountability for victims of sexual torture and unlawful killings during 7 October attacks |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/01/un-experts-demand-accountability-victims-sexual-torture-and-unlawful |access-date=16 August 2024}} </ref> She decried alleged atrocities including mass killings and acts amounting to torture including sexual torture.<ref name=":0" /> She has called for a probe into allegations of mistreatment and torture by Israeli authorities against Palestinians.<ref> {{Cite web |title=Israel: UN expert calls for probe of allegations of torture and mistreatment against Palestinian detainees |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/05/israel-un-expert-calls-probe-allegations-torture-and-mistreatment-against |access-date=16 August 2024}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Arvanitidis |first=Barbara |date=5 June 2024 |title=Israel phasing out use of desert detention camp after CNN investigation detailing abuses |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/05/middleeast/israel-top-court-sde-teiman-hearing-intl/index.html |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |title=UN torture expert calls for probe of Israel torture allegations |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/un-torture-expert-calls-probe-israel-torture-allegations?nid=363631&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=515801 |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}} </ref> She was criticised by Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor for failing to raise issues about Israeli torture of, and minimising reports of Israeli sexual violence against, Palestinians.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=UN Special Rapporteur on Torture should be dismissed for bias and deliberate failure to perform duties |url=https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6434 |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024 she was nominated for Australian of the Year.<ref> {{Cite web |title=Dr Alice Edwards {{!}} Australian of the Year |url=https://australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/dr-alice-edwards |access-date=16 August 2024 |website=australianoftheyear.org.au |language=en}}</ref>
==Selected works==
* (2017) ''In Flight from Conflict and Violence: UNHCR Consultations on Refugee Status and Other Forms of International Protection'' * (2014) ''Nationality and Statelessness under International Law'' * (2011) ''Violence against Women under International Human Rights Law''
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{United Nations Special Rapporteurs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Alice Jill}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian legal scholars Category:Australian women lawyers Category:21st-century Australian lawyers Category:Alumni of the University of Nottingham Category:University of Tasmania alumni Category:Australian National University alumni Category:Amnesty International people Category:United Nations officials Category:United Nations Special Rapporteurs on torture Category:Living people