A/HRC/11/41 page 4 I. INTRODUCTION 1. Since taking up his duties in August 2003, the Special Rapporteur has addressed one or more main topics in each annual report. This report, the sixth by the current Special Rapporteur and the fifteenth since the mandate was established in 1994, examines parameters necessary to effectively guarantee the independence of judges. The Special Rapporteur analyses both individual and institutional aspects, which he deems able to reinforce or hamper the independent administration of justice. 2. In analysing this complex topic, the Special Rapporteur refers to international and regional standards relevant to the independence of the judiciary, among them article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), article 6 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, article 8 of the American Convention on Human Rights, article 26 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 12 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights, as well as the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, the Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa, Recommendation No. R (94) 12 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Statute of the Ibero-American Judge and the Beijing Statement of Principles of the Independence of the Judiciary in the LAWASIA (Law Association for Asia and the Pacific) region. Furthermore, he bases his analysis on a wealth of the work of the treaty bodies and decisions from regional organizations as well as on previous work of the mandate, including letters to Governments on alleged human rights violations. II. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR A. International meetings 3. In June 2008, the Special Rapporteur took part in the eight session of the Human Rights Council, where he presented his annual report (A/HRC/8/4), a report on exchanges with Governments concerning specific complaints (A/HRC/8/4/Add.1) and a report on his mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (A/HRC/8/4/Add.2). In the same month, he also participated in the fifteenth annual meeting of special procedures of the Human Rights Council. 4. In September 2008, the Special Rapporteur attended the seminar “Justice and democracy” which was organized by the Colombian Supreme Court of Justice and held in Cartagena, Colombia. At this occasion, the Special Rapporteur met with a number of high-level authorities. 5. In October 2008, the Special Rapporteur attended the sixty-third session of the General Assembly in New York, where he presented his report (A/63/271), which examined the role of judges in protecting human rights during states of emergency. 6. On 17 October 2008, the Special Rapporteur attended the annual meeting of the International Bar Association, dedicated to the Rule of Law, and made a presentation on the independence of the judiciary in the context of democracy.