Aonghus Kelly

Mr Kelly is a distinguished human rights lawyer who has recently played a high-profile role supporting the investigation and prosecution of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

He is a former executive director of Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI), the non-profit backed by the solicitors’ and barristers’ bodies north and south of the border.

A graduate of University College Cork, the University of Galway and the University of Cambridge, he is qualified as a solicitor in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England and Wales, as an attorney in Cambodia, and as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.

He discussed his work for the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM) with Irish Legal News as our Lawyer of the Month in February 2023, prior to his appointment to a more senior role in 2024.

Welcoming his appointment, Mukesh Sharma, chair of the NI Policing Board, 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 three years.”