A/HRC/42/66 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 7 August 2019 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-second session 9–27 September 2019 Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar* Summary In its resolution 39/2, the Human Rights Council established the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011, and to prepare files in order to facilitate and expedite fair and independent criminal proceedings, in accordance with international law standards, in national, regional or international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes, in accordance with international law. In resolution 39/2, the Council also decided that the Mechanism would, inter alia, report on its main activities on an annual basis to the Council as of the forty-second session. The present report is submitted to the Council pursuant to that request. The General Assembly, in its resolution 73/264, welcomed the creation of the Mechanism and called for its expeditious entry into operation and steps to secure its effective functioning as soon as possible. Since the Head of the Mechanism, Nicholas Koumjian, officially commenced his functions on 1 July 2019, he has focused on putting in place place a broad strategy and concept of operations for the Mechanism with the assistance of the Secretariat, so that the Mechanism will be operational and functional as soon as possible. In this regard, the Mechanism has sought to learn from the experiences of international tribunals and other comparable international accountability mechanisms to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. The Mechanism has identified a number of initial priorities that will put in place the technical, logistical and administrative measures necessary for the effective functioning of the Mechanism and the implementation of its mandate. The Mechanism anticipates, however, that its substantive strategies will have to be flexible and in order to adjust in accordance with developments in its investigations and realities on the ground. The Mechanism is still at a very early stage of its operations and is fully cognizant * Agreement was reached to publish the present report after the standard publication date owing to circumstances beyond the submitter’s control. GE.19-13466(E) 