A/HRC/18/25 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 4 July 2011 Original: English Human Rights Council Eighteenth session Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the obligation of States to investigate serious violations of human rights, and the use of forensic genetics Summary In its resolution 15/5, the Human Rights Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit a report on the obligation of States to investigate serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in accordance with their international legal commitments in terms of identifying victims of such violations, including through the use of forensic genetics, with a view to considering further the possibility of drafting a manual that may serve as a guide for the most effective application of forensic genetics, including, where appropriate, the voluntary creation and operation of genetics banks, with the proper safeguards. In accordance with the request, the present report focuses on the law pertaining to the obligation to investigate gross violations of human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law, through a survey of the applicable international and regional instruments and jurisprudence. Based on responses received from States and organizations, the report also outlines State law and practice regarding initiatives taken in order to investigate human rights and international humanitarian law violations, particularly through the use of forensic genetics and the establishment of genetic databanks. GE.11-14408