Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP)

The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) primarily investigates and prosecutes cases against human rights violators and other international criminals. HRSP investigates and prosecutes human rights violators for genocide, torture, war crimes, recruitment or use of child soldiers, female genital mutilation, and for immigration and naturalization fraud arising out of efforts to hide their involvement in such crimes.

Hope Olds
Chief

Michael Sheckels
Principal Deputy

Rami Badawy
Deputy Chief (Human Smuggling)

Courtney Spivey Urschel
Deputy Chief (Human Rights)

Jay Bauer
Deputy Chief (International Violent Crime)

Christina Giffin
Deputy Chief (Policy & Litigation)

Contact

HRSP Direct Line
202-616-2492

HRSP's responsibilities include enforcing federal criminal laws relating to:

• Serious human rights violations such as torture, genocide, war crimes, female genital mutilation, and recruitment or use of child soldiers and immigrations and naturalization fraud crimes involving concealment of past human rights abuses;
• International human smuggling and other immigration-related offenses; and
• International violent crimes, particularly those involving U.S. government employees and contractors overseas.

A Colombian national was extradited to the United States on Friday to face charges related to kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on.

A national of the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty yesterday to his involvement in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy in Puerto Rico.

A former Syrian government official was indicted today in Los Angeles on criminal charges for lying to U.S. immigration authorities about his time running a Syrian prison where.