M. Cherif Bassiouni

In addition to his many awards, Bassiouni held a number of honorary degrees: Doctor of Law Honoris Causa, University of Salzburg (2013); Doctor of Law Honoris Causa, University of Tirana, Albania (2013); Doctor of Law Honoris Causa, University of Ghent, Belgium (2011); Doctor of Law Honoris Causa, Case Western Reserve University, United States (2010); Doctor of Humane Letters, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, US (2009); Doctor of Law honoris causa, National University of Ireland, Galway (LLD) (2001); Doctor of Law honoris causa, Niagara University (LLD) (1997); Doctor of Law honoris causa (Docteur d'Etat en Droit), University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour, France (1988); and Doctor of Law honoris causa (Dottore in Giurisprudenza), University of Torino, Italy (1981).

Bassiouni was appointed to the following United Nations positions: chair and then member of the Commission of Inquiry for Libya (2011–2012); Independent Expert on Human Rights for Afghanistan (2004–2006); independent expert on the Rights to Restitution, Compensation, and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1998–2000); chair, Drafting Committee of the Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1998); vice-chair of the General Assembly's Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1996–1998); vice-chair of the General Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (1995); chair of the Commission of Experts Established Pursuant to Security Council 780 (1992) to Investigate Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Former Yugoslavia (1993–1994) and the commission's Special Rapporteur on Gathering and Analysis of the Facts (1992–1993); consultant to the Sixth and Seventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention (1980 and 1985); consultant to the Committee on Southern African of the Commission on Human Rights (1980–1981); co-chair of the Independent Committee of Experts Drafting the Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture (1978); and honorary vice-president at the Fifth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention (1975).

He also served as chair of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry which was established in 2011.

Bassiouni was appointed head of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), known locally as the Bassiouni Commission, at the time of its establishment, 29 June 2011, by the King of Bahrain. On 9 August 2011, Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, criticized Bassiouni in an open letter for statements he (Bassiouni) made in an 8 August 2011 interview with Reuters. In the interview, Bassiouni praised the cooperation that the BICI has received from the Interior Ministry and states that there was never a policy of excessive use of force.

In 2010, Bassiouni donated his personal papers to the DePaul University Special Collections and Archives, where his materials are open to researchers.

He also received the Via Sapientiae Award (DePaul University) in 2009, the Beccaria Medal from the International Society for Social Defence in 2009, and the Silvia Sandano Award of the University of Rome in 2008.

In 2007 he was awarded the Hague Award for International Law for his "distinguished contribution in the field of international law". He was awarded a colloquium in his honour: The Third Hague Prize Colloquium. This colloquium was organized by the T.M.C. Asser Instituut and the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law. The winner of the Hague Prize is given the honour of selecting the fundamental principle of law on which the Hague Colloquium will be organized.

Bassiouni held numerous appointments with the UN, such as independent expert for the Commission on Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2006, and independent expert for the Commission on Human Rights on The Rights to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms from 1998 to 2000. He was also the chairman of the Drafting Committee for the Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in 1998, and the vice-chairman of the General Assembly's Ad Hoc and Preparatory Committees on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1995 and from 1996 to 1998. In 2010, he stated his belief that the ICC will fail. He was also a member, then the chairman, of the Security Council's Commission to Investigate Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Former Yugoslavia (1993), and the commission's Special Rapporteur on Gathering and Analysis of the Facts from 1992 to 1993. He was chairman of the Drafting Committee of the 1985 United Nations Treaty on Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power (1985), the consultant to the Sixth and Seventh UN Congress on Crime Prevention from 1980 to 1985, consultant to the Committee on Southern African Commission on Human Rights from 1980 to 1981 (as consultant to the Committee on Southern African Commission on Human Rights, Bassiouni prepared a Draft Statute for the Creation of an International Criminal Court to prosecute apartheid). Additionally, he served as the co-chairman of the Committee of Experts to draft the convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture in 1977, and was the honorary vice-president to the Fifth Congress on Crime Prevention in 1975.

He also made an appearance in the PBS broadcast documentary Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet (2002), produced by Unity Productions Foundation.

Among the many distinctions and awards he received were a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize (1999); Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award of Columbia University (2012); Cook County Bar Association Lincoln Award (2012); Dominican University's Bradford O’Neill Medallion for Social Justice (2011); George Washington University Distinguished Alumni Scholar Award, Washington, D.C. (2010–2011); Washington University School of Law, World Peace Through Law Award (2010); DePaul University Via Sapientiae Award (2009); Hague Prize for International Law (2007); Cesare Beccaria Justice Medal of the International Society for Social Defense (2007); The Medal of the Commission de Derechos Humanos del Estado de Mexico (2006); DePaul University St. Vincent DePaul Society's Humanitarian Award (2000); International Association of Penal Law- V.V. Pella, Champion of International Criminal Justice Award (1999); John Marshall Law School's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999); Defender of Democracy Award from Parliamentarians for Global Action (1998); United Nations Association's Adlai E. Stevenson Award (1993); The Special Award of the Council of Europe (1990); and the secretary-general of the Council of Europe's Award (1984).

In 1999 Bassiouni was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the field of international criminal justice and for his contribution to the creation of the International Criminal Court. He did not win as Médecins Sans Frontières received the award in 1999.

In addition to his many positions in the UN, Bassiouni served as the consultant to the US Department of State and Justice on projects relating to international traffic in drugs (1973) and international control of terrorism (1975 and 1978–79). He was also the consultant to the Department of State regarding the US hostages in Iran from 1979 to 1980.

In 1972, Bassiouni was one of the founders of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences (ISISC) located in Siracusa, Italy, where he served as dean from 1972 to 1989 and then as president to date. He also served as the secretary general of the International Association of Penal Law (L’Association Internationale de Droit Penal), Paris, France, from 1974 to 1989 and as president for three five-year terms from 1989 to 2004, when he was elected honorary president.

Bassiouni was a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. in 1972; visiting professor of law, New York University Law School in 1971; Fulbright-Hays Professor of International Criminal Law, University of Freiburg, Germany in 1970; non-resident professor of criminal law at University of Cairo from 1996 to 2006. He also lectured at various universities in the United States and abroad. He was a member of the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute's International Council.

Bassiouni held the following law degrees: Baccalaureat Lettres LLB University of Cairo, 1955; JD Indiana University School of Law, 1964; LL.M. John Marshall Law School in International and Maritime Law, 1966; and S.J.D. George Washington University in International Criminal Law, 1973. Furthermore, he studied law at University of Burgundy, France, and at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni (Arabic: محمود شريف بسيوني ; 9 December 1937 – 25 September 2017) was an emeritus professor of law at DePaul University, where he taught from 1964 to 2012. He served in numerous United Nations positions and served as the consultant to the US Department of State and Justice on many projects. He was a founding member of the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University which was established in 1990. He served as president from 1990 to 1997 and then as president emeritus. Bassiouni is often referred to by the media as “the Godfather of International Criminal Law” and a “war crimes expert.” As such, he served on the Steering Committee for The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative, which was launched to study the need for a comprehensive convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, and draft a proposed treaty. He spearheaded the drafting of the proposed convention, which as of 2014 is being debated at the International Law Commission.