Melisa Kurter is an international lawyer whose work covers international criminal law, human rights, and matters related to INTERPOL and extradition. Her background combines postgraduate study in transnational crime and justice, an internship with the prosecution office of a UN criminal tribunal mechanism in The Hague, and early criminal litigation experience at law firms in Istanbul.
Legal education
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Marmara University in Turkey. She went on to earn a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Transnational Crime and Justice, awarded by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Italy and the UN-mandated University for Peace (UPEACE) in Costa Rica.
Experience in international justice
- Internship at the Office of the Prosecutor of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) in The Hague, the successor to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
- Work on war crimes investigations and litigation analysis within that Office
- Research internship with the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), carrying out policy analysis on the inclusion of vulnerable groups
Criminal litigation and current work
Early in her career she worked at law firms in Istanbul, gaining experience in criminal litigation and in maritime and environmental crimes. As a Senior Associate, she now works within the firm's team on international criminal law, human rights, and INTERPOL- and extradition-related matters, drawing on her background in international criminal justice.
