Dick Oosting

Dick Oosting, Europe Director, International Center for Transitional Justice Brussels.

"A Dutch lawyer, Dick Oosting has worked since the 70s on human rights and related issues.

"From 1973 he ran Amnesty International's first major campaign against torture that marked its breakthrough as a campaigning organization. Mr. Oosting then served five years as Amnesty’s Deputy Secretary General and in 1982 he returned to the Netherlands to head its Dutch Section.

"From 1987 Mr. Oosting worked for the Dutch government as director of a child protection agency. In 1995 he moved back to the NGO sector to head the Dutch Refugee Council at a time when asylum had become a highly charged political issue. In 1999 he returned to Amnesty International as director of its EU Office.

"In early 2008 Mr. Oosting joined the International Center for Transitional Justice as Europe Director, to lead ICTJ's country programs in the wider Europe region and represent the organization especially at the EU.

"In his various activist and leadership roles, Dick Oosting has been closely involved in the development over the past three decades of the international human rights movement. His activities included high level missions for Amnesty International to Africa, Asia and the Middle East, strategic and policy development on a range of issues, capacity building, representation at the UN, Council of Europe and EU, as well as public advocacy and media work."

• Advisory Council, European Policy Centre