The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) selected Pedro José Vaca Villarreal for the position of Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression on September 15 and forwarded the name of the person selected to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS ), who agreed with the appointment. In accordance with Article 15 of the IACHR Rules of Procedure, Pedro Vaca will be appointed for a period of three years, renewable once, and will assume office on October 6, 2020.

Within the framework of its 176 Period of Sessions, the Inter-American Commission selected from the list of finalists announced on April 30, 2020, the five people who go to the interview phase; these people are:

The process by which the Commission selects the head of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression is governed by the relevant regulations, in particular Article 15 of the IACHR Regulations and Resolution 04/06. In accordance with Article 15.4 of the IACHR Rules of Procedure, the IACHR will receive observations from OAS Member States and civil society on these finalist candidates. The deadline for submitting observations is April 30 until midnight of June 15, 2020 (Washington, D.C. time), via this system. The Executive Secretary of the IACHR will contact the finalists to produce a video, to be published on the IACHR website within the next two weeks, explaining their proposals in case they are elected as Special Rapporteur.

Following the presentation of comments, the IACHR will select five candidates from among the finalists who will be interviewed by the plenary session of the Commission. On July 13, 2020, the IACHR will announce the list of the five selected persons who will be interviewed on September 14 and 15, 2020. On the latter date, the IACHR will announce the new head of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression. The RELE Rapporteur will begin his or her work on October 6, 2020. In accordance with Article 15 of the IACHR's Rules of Procedure, the Rapporteur is appointed for a period of three years, renewable for one more period, unless the mandate of the Rapporteurship ends before the end of that period.

On December 19, 2013, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published an announcement for a job opening for the post of IACHR Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression. The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression answers to the IACHR, works in conjunction with the Executive Secretariat of the IACHR, and operates from the OAS headquarters, in Washington, D.C.

During the 150th Period of Sessions of the IACHR, held at the headquarters in Washington, D.C., from March 20 to April 4, 2014, the Commission selected six finalists:

In accordance with Article 15.4 of the Rules of Procedure of the IACHR, the Commission will receive comments from the OAS Member States and civil society on the finalist candidates. The period to present comments starts May 1 and ends May 31, 2014. The comments should be sent to [email protected], with the following words in the subject of the e-mail: "Competition Rappourteur on Freedom of Expression."

The IACHR will interview the finalist candidates during the 151th Period of Sessions, to be held at headquarters in Washington, D.C., from July 14 to 26, 2014. During the same sessions, the IACHR will make an announcement on the person selected for the post. The first day of work is October 6, 2014. In accordance with Article 15 of the Rules of Procedure, the Rapporteur shall serve for a period of three years, renewable once, unless the mandate of the Rapporteurship terminates earlier.

Announcement: job opening for the post of IACHR Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression