Paul Seils Closed Now

Paul Seils is an internationally respected practitioner and strategist in transitional justice, known for his extensive experience designing truth commissions, accountability mechanisms, and institutional reforms in post-conflict societies. Over the past three decades, Seils has worked across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, advising governments, international organizations, and civil society groups on pathways toward justice and sustainable peace.

A lawyer by training from Scotland, Seils first became known for his groundbreaking work in Guatemala, where he served as the Head of Analysis for the Commission for Historical Clarification (CEH)—the country’s truth commission following decades of armed conflict. His contributions helped uncover patterns of human rights violations and shaped the report that remains one of the most detailed and influential truth commission analyses in the world.

Seils later worked with the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of the Office of the Prosecutor, where he contributed to some of the Court’s earliest investigations. His experience at the ICC gave him a unique perspective on the relationship between national and international justice, informing his later policy work on how countries can combine criminal accountability with truth-seeking and reconciliation.

He has held senior roles at leading global institutions, including the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), where he served as Vice President. In this capacity, he played a major role in shaping global guidance on reparations, institutional reform, and truth-seeking. He is also a former director at the European Institute of Peace and has advised UN agencies, the African Union, and national governments.

Seils is widely known for promoting pragmatic and context-sensitive approaches to transitional justice, emphasizing that justice systems must reflect both international standards and the lived realities of victims and communities. His influential publications—such as the ICTJ’s Handbook on Complementarity and studies on truth commissions—are widely used in academic and policy settings.