Public international law · Human rights

SébastienTouzé

Professor of Public Law at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University.
Director of the René Cassin Foundation – International Institute of Human Rights.

Academic career · Publications · Research · Teaching · Academic and institutional responsibilities.

Portrait of Sébastien Touzé
UniversityParis-Panthéon-Assas
FoundationRené Cassin
University position

Chair of the Department of Public Law and Political Science

Paris-Panthéon-Assas University.

Teaching

Master’s programme in Human Rights and International Justice

Director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Law specialisation.

Institutional responsibility

René Cassin Foundation

Director since 2016.

Former international role

United Nations Committee against Torture

Member from 2016 to 2023; Rapporteur and then Vice-Chair.

Profile

Research and responsibilities

A career centred on international law and systems for the protection of human rights.

Sébastien Touzé is Professor of Public Law at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University. His work focuses primarily on public international law, international and European human rights protection systems, interpretation and international litigation.

His university and academic responsibilities extend this work at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University and the René Cassin Foundation, as well as through his service on the United Nations Committee against Torture from 2016 to 2023.

Full biography
Since 2014

Paris-Panthéon-Assas University

Professor of Public Law.

Since 2016

René Cassin Foundation

Director.

2016–2023

United Nations Committee against Torture

Member; Rapporteur from 2016 to 2020; Vice-Chair from 2020 to 2023.

Current

European Court of Human Rights

Ad hoc judge — Principality of Monaco.

Publications

Recent and forthcoming work

Selected recent and forthcoming publications. The complete bibliography is available online.

November 2026 · Forthcoming

L’Europe du second regard

What the European Convention on Human Rights has made possible. Pedone · Paris

More details →
Recueil des cours de l’Académie de droit international de La Haye · Forthcoming

The absolute and the relative in the international prohibition of torture

Legal characterisation, protection and the plurality of legal regimes.

More details →
Complete bibliography

77 publications

Books and edited volumes, a Hague Academy course, and articles and contributions on human rights, public international law and European Union law.

Complete bibliography →
Research

Selected academic contributions

Selected conferences, chaired sessions and academic presentations.

June 2026

Universal human rights treaties at a crossroads

Chair of the session “Issues, challenges and prospects” — René Cassin Foundation, Strasbourg.

April 2026

Second Paris Human Rights Days

Chair of the session on reception by regional and international courts — CRDH, CEDIN, CMH and IHEI, Paris.

March 2026

The primacy of climate considerations: human rights subject to ecological constraints

Conference “The environment before the courts: legal and economic perspectives” — Paris.

February 2026

The intellectual and moral legacy: the International Institute of Human Rights

Tribute to René Cassin (1887–1976) — Institut de France, Paris.

Media

In the media

Recent interviews, op-eds and commentary in France and internationally.

Contact

Professional contact

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