The Northern Ireland Policing Board has appointed Aonghus Kelly as its new Human Rights Advisor.
Board Chair Mukesh Sharma said:
We are pleased to confirm the appointment of Aonghus Kelly as the Board’s Human Rights Advisor.
Bringing extensive experience in human rights law he will assist the Board in meeting its statutory duty to oversee how the police deliver their responsibilities under the Human Rights Act 1998.
The work undertaken by the Human Rights Advisor in monitoring human rights compliance helps makes sure that the approach of the police, and the policies and procedures they work to, have a rights based approach. This ensures that the rights of the public and the police are protected and contributes to confidence in the service being delivered.
We look forward to working with him over the course of the next 3 years.
Ends.
For further information please contact the Board’s Communications Office on 02890 408 500 or information@nipolicingboard.org.uk.
Notes to editors
Biography: Prior to taking up his current position Aonghus Kelly was Head of the International Crimes Legal Unit at the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine. Prior to his work in Ukraine, Aonghus was the Executive Director of Irish Rule of Law International.
Over the past 18 years Aonghus has worked in various legal positions, including on the Baha Mousa Public Inquiry concerning events in Iraq, with the State Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the investigation and prosecution of cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. At the Special Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kosovo Aonghus worked on the investigation and prosecution of cases of organised crime, terrorism, trafficking of human beings and narcotics and war crimes, while at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (commonly known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal) worked as a defence lawyer. Aonghus has also practised law in both Ireland and England and has worked with Global Legal Action Network (GLAN).
Apart from his case-related work, Aonghus has also been involved in technical assistance efforts, including with the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM) where he headed the Criminal Justice Unit and has worked with police, judges and prosecutors in Belize and Iraq on human rights compliant investigations and prosecutions.Aonghus was educated at University College Cork in Ireland, Victoria University in Wellington in New Zealand, the University of Sarajevo and the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway and has been admitted to practice law in 5 jurisdictions (New Zealand, Ireland, England & Wales, Cambodia and Northern Ireland). He completed a Masters in Sustainability Leadership with the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge in 2025.
- The Northern Ireland Policing Board has a statutory duty to monitor the performance of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998 under Section 3(3)(b)(ii) of the Police (NI) Act 2000. The position of Human Rights Advisor to the Board is an independent role and is offered on a contract for services basis for three years with the potential to extend for a further two. The appointment is effective from 4 February 2026. The per diem rate for this position is £1,000 per day with a programme of work agreed with the Board.
Notes to editors ends.