Gayethri M. Pillay (Seychelles) is Head of Secretariat of the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI). She has held this position since November 2021, providing strategic and policy advice to the six CTI Core States to deliver their 10-year vision aspiring to reduce and prevent the risks of torture and ill-treatment through the universal ratification and implementation of the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT), by 2024. Gayethri is the primary facilitator of the CTI’s year-round programme of activities and conferences that enable government-to-government exchanges, alliance building, and valuable experience sharing and knowledge transfer. Gayethri joined the CTI Secretariat in February 2021 as Senior Adviser, as served as Acting Head of Secretariat from July to November 2021. Prior to joining CTI, Gayethri was Chargée D’affaires e.p and Head of Seychelles’ Permanent Mission in Geneva. Ms Pillay has worked in numerous capacities within the Government of Seychelles, including as Director of the International Law and Human Rights Unit, and as the Director of Seychelles’ National Committee on Trafficking in Persons. As a diplomat and legal expert, Ms Pillay has extensive experience in the national coordination and implementation of international human obligations. Ms Pillay holds a LLM in Public Law and Human Rights Law from the University College of London (UCL) and a LLB from the University of Kent. Speaks English, French, Seychellois Creole and Tamil.

Laura Blanco (Spanish) conducts legal research and analysis and provides advice on a wide range of matters pertaining to international, regional and national anti-torture legal frameworks, in support of CTI’s universal ratification and implementation efforts. Recruited as Legal Researcher in February 2018, Laura was promoted to Legal Officer in October 2020 and to Legal Advisor in February 2024. Prior to joining CTI, Laura was a consultant at London-based REDRESS. She also has previous professional experience at the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute. Laura is a Spanish-qualified lawyer. Holds Master’s degrees from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona (UPF) and an LL.M. in Transnational Law from King’s College in London. Speaks Spanish, Catalan, Galician, English and French.

Alexa Rogers (American/Austrian) is the Research and Projects Officer for the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI). Alexa conducts legal research and provides advice to the Secretariat on strengthening national capacities and technical expertise for international, regional, and national anti-torture legal frameworks, in support of CTI’s universal ratification and implementation efforts. Before joining CTI, Alexa worked for the OHCHR, ILGA World, MADRE, and several other NGOs. She also spent several years working as an investigator for a domestic human rights law enforcement agency and as a public interest lawyer. She is admitted to practice law in New York. She holds a Juris Doctor from the City University of New York School of Law (CUNY School of Law), a Master’s in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and Rule of Law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and a Bachelor in Political Science and History from Hofstra University.

Samira Baghdadi (Lebanese) serves as a Human Rights Officer with CTI, supporting states in realizing the UNCAT. Her role involves coordinating activities for non-State parties, organizing events to strengthen national capacities, and facilitating diplomatic and technical delegation visits. Samira provides legal advice, contributes to communications materials, and collaborates with partners to advance CTI objectives. Prior to joining CTI, Samira was a research consultant with UNDPPA in New York and a program asistant with UNICEF Lebanon country office. She holds a master’s degree in Human Rights Law and Democracy from the Global Campus of Human Rights, and speaks English, Arabic, and French.

Abelwahab Hani (Tunisian) is a former member of the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) from 2016 to 2019, and is currently supporting CTI’s efforts to encourage ratification and implementation of UNCAT. He provides diplomatic and technical guidance to CTI and liaises with a selected number of countries in the Middle East and Asia, and advises on the inter-linkages between the international human rights framework and sharia law. An active human rights defender and adviser, he is supporting and monitoring the process of Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture implementation of the Tunisian National Preventive Mechanism. Mr Hani is a founding member and Secretary-General of the Tunisian Association of Victims of Torture in Exile, and a Board Member of the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT). Mr Hani can be contacted in Arabic, French, English and Spanish.

Augustine is the Pacific Adviser at the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI). He was previously the Third Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Fiji to the United Nations in Geneva responsible for their human rights portfolio and is currently the Legal Counsel of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the United Nations in Geneva. Prior to Geneva, he worked in Fiji as a barrister and solicitor in private practice and then as the Legal Counsel of the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji. With CTI, he assists in engagement with the Pacific States and Small Island Developing States in advancing the ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment. Augustine has a Master of Advanced Studies in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, a Master of Advanced Studies in European and International Governance from the University of Geneva, and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the South Pacific.

Lee Hegarty (British) was Head of the CTI Secretariat from April-December 2015. He is a human rights expert who has worked on human rights and justice issues at national and international levels. Prior to CTI, his experience included lengthy spells leading projects on political and criminal justice reform as part of the Northern Ireland peace process and heading up the security and justice section of the human rights department of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Dr. Alice Edwards (British-Australian) was Head of Secretariat of the Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI) from January 2016 until July 2021, providing strategic and policy advice to the six CTI Core States to deliver their vision aspiring to reduce and prevent the risks of torture and ill-treatment worldwide and acting as the primary facilitator of the CTI’s year-round programme of activities and conferences that enable government-to-government exchanges, alliance building, and valuable experience sharing and knowledge transfer. During her tenure, she successfully built up the initiative from its inception as a small start-up into a strong and influential initiative with its own identity and achievements, expanded CTI’s global networks, and created CTI’s Advice Hub and implementation tools and other resources providing concrete practical advice for States. She shepherded ministerial-level delegations and facilitated numerous global, regional and national seminars and conferences including in Africa (Angola, the Gambia, Ghana, Morocco, Sudan), Asia-Pacific (Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Samoa, Tonga), Europe (Copenhagen, Geneva, Vienna), and Latin America and the Caribbean (Bahamas, Barbados, Chile, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, Suriname). Prior to CTI, Dr. Edwards was the Chief of Section - Protection Policy and Legal Advice at the UN Refugee Agency (2010-15), previously having served in UNHCR field assignments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Morocco and Rwanda. She has also worked within the NGO and academic sectors, has published over 30 books and articles, and sits on the board of a number of leading journals.