Mr. Nils Melzer

Nils Melzer is currently a Legal Adviser for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), where he is responsible for the ICRC’s expert process aimed at clarifying international humanitarian law relating to the issue of civilian participation in hostilities. Previously, Dr. Melzer served the ICRC as an Operational Legal Adviser for the Middle East and Africa (2002-2004), and as a Protection Delegate in the Balkans and the Middle East (1999-2002). Dr. Melzer is specialised in issues of targeting and the use of force in police, military and counter-terrorism operations and has authored several works, including his recent book Targeted Killing in International Law (Oxford University Press, 2008) and the ICRC's Interpretive Guidance on the Notion of Direct Participation in Hostilities under International Humanitarian Law (ICRC, 2009). Dr. Melzer holds a PhD in Law from the University of Zürich (summa cum laude), and currently lectures at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.