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UNODC: Dr.
WALTER GEHR
10 December 2011
UNJustice expresses deep concern regarding information received
about Dr. Walter Gehr, a highly-esteemed lawyer currently
serving as Senior Legal Advisor in the Terrorism Prevention
Branch at the UNODC - the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime in Vienna.
Dr. Gehr has reportedly been the victim of a hostile working
environment and consequently marginalized by his supervisors. A
lack of transparency in the decision-making process, abuse of
power and unfair reclassification of post are at the heart of
much of the concern and dissatisfaction expressed to us
regarding this case.
Grave concern is also expressed that the Administration did not
follow up on Dr. Gehr's report of misconduct, and the Ethics
Office did not reply for ten months to his allegations of
retaliation.
According to information on this case, UNODC unjustifiably
attempted to stop Dr. Gehr from exercising his right to rebuttal
with regard to assessment of his work by his supervisors and
delayed the process of rebuttal for more than 18 months.
This is especially troubling since, on 18 October 2011, the UNDT
ruled in favour of Dr. Gehr by finding that the classification
process and decision regarding his post "are unlawful and the
application must succeed".
A
recent report by the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit,
Review of Management and Administration in the UNODC, had
already highlighted a number of problematic issues with the
organizational restructuring of the Office:
"The Inspectors also received comments from staff expressing
concerns on a constant restructuring pattern at UNODC. The
reasons for organizational restructuring are not always obvious
for staff and not clearly communicated to them. Some
interviewees strongly questioned the rationale for the
administrative changes, stressing their impression of the
realization of a personal agenda above the organization's
benefit, in some cases", JIU/REP/2010/10 - para. 67.
UNJustice regrets that this case was brought to the attention of
several bodies of the informal justice system of the
Organization, but it has not been possible to find a solution
and the dispute is now pending before the UN Tribunals in
multiple proceedings.
UNJustice notes that every employer should ensure fair and
favourable conditions of work to all its employees, without
discrimination.
Therefore, in accordance with human rights standards, UNJustice
calls on the UN Administration to properly investigate and
adjudicate Dr. Gehr's complaints as it should as a model
employer.
Please take action to demand that the United Nations
Organization issues the instructions necessary to guarantee that
all complaints of harassment and retaliation by UN personnel are
fairly investigated and adjudicated, included that made by Dr.
Walter Gehr of UNODC.
Related
information:
UNDT/2011/178 (Gehr)
The record of a
UNDT hearing concerning Dr. Gehr' case can be downloaded via
https://files.me.com/waltergehr/d2x34p.mov
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Meeting of Dr. Walter
Gehr with an Officer in the Human Resources Management Services,
held on 10 June 2011 at the UNODC (Excerpt)
Officer HR: Yes there is
a justice system. Every justice systems creates all kinds of
problems, as you know ...Justice in human relationships does not
exist in principle ...If you are agnostic, you are talking a different language.
WG: I am not going down this path. I want a justice in this
world, I think I have been
severely wronged.
U.S. Mission to Dr.
Walter Gehr -letter, 2 October 2002-
 Update:
3 January 2012
By a judgment dated
14 December 2011, the UNDT found
that Dr. Gehr "was provided with no less than five different
versions of his performance appraisal, which highlights the lack
of rigour and diligence displayed by the Administration".
UNDT/2011/211 (Gehr)
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