In memoriam – Professor Theo van Boven (1934–2026)

We would like to take a moment to remember Professor Theo van Boven, who dedicated his life to the protection of human rights and who was a towering figure of human rights research in the Netherlands and internationally. A jurist and leading human rights scholar for more than five decades, he was a pioneer of victims’ rights and a fearless defender of those affected by gross human rights violations.

He served, among many prestigious roles, as Director of the UN Human Rights Division in Geneva. In that capacity he initiated new mechanisms and procedures to name governments for human rights violations and hold them accountable. He was also UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Reparation to Victims of Gross Violations of Human Rights and on Torture, first Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, member of the UN Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Head of the Dutch delegation to the conference establishing the International Criminal Court.

He was also a long-time Professor of Law at Maastricht University, founding the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights and being an active member within the School of Human Rights Research, the predecessor of the NNHRR. He has furthermore acted as supervisor or member of the assessment committee of many (former) PhD researchers within the NNHRR. Every year Maastricht University pays tribute to him by organizing the Theo van Boven Lecture.

Professor van Boven’s work on the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2005, helped establish the global standard for reparative justice and placed victims at the center of international criminal law.

His moral clarity, courage, and commitment to accountability and States’ observance of human rights obligations will continue to inspire our work. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who were shaped by his example.