Third Human Rights Commissioner

Nils Muižnieks was born and educated in the United States of America after his parents left Latvia in 1944 as refugees. He worked as the Director of the Advanced Social and Political Research Institute at Riga University until his appointment as Chairman of the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), He was a member of the Latvian government and Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies before his appointment. During his time as Commissioner, Mr Muižnieks visited every Council of Europe member state, focusing on Ukraine and Turkey and working intensively on migration, counter-terrorism, women’s rights, Roma rights, LGBT rights and children’s rights.

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