It is with great sadness that we at the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) learned of the death of our former Secretary General, Nick Howen, in Geneva on 26 January 2010. Nick, who served as ICJ Secretary General from 2004-2009, had been seriously ill over the last 2 years. He had battled his illness courageously and successfully, but in the last weeks his health deteriorated. He died peacefully in hospital surrounded by his family.

Nick was a passionate life-long human rights advocate whose contribution to human rights and the rule of law was and inspiration to many colleagues and friends at the ICJ and throughout the human rights movement. Throughout his decades of work for the advancement of human rights, including as Head of the Legal Division at Amnesty International, as Asia Pacific Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and as Head of the DPKO Human Rights Division in Angola, Nick earned the deep respect of many. Just before his death Nick was elected Commissioner of the ICJ. His election is emblematic of the high esteem in which he was held.

In the coming days and weeks we at the ICJ will identify the ways in which we can best celebrate and honor Nick. For now, our sympathies and thoughts are with his family.