UN panel on disappearances to hold 85th session in Buenos Aires

24 July 2008

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances plans to review more than 300 cases of disappearances when it gathers from 24-26 July in Argentina, the first Latin American country to host a session of the five-member expert panel.

During the three-day session in Buenos Aires, the Working Group will take up new cases from around the world of people who have disappeared, as well as review past cases from 31 countries for which the Working Group has recently received further information. The experts will also meet government officials and non-government organizations to address related issues.

This marks the group first-ever gathering in Argentina, a country whose widespread history with the practice of disappearances contributed to the Working Group's creation by the United Nations in 1980. The session also follows the conclusion of a country visit by the Working Group, aimed at taking stock of Argentina's efforts in addressing cases of disappearances.

ENDS
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The Working Group was established by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1980 to assist families in determining the fate and whereabouts of disappeared relatives. The Working Group endeavours to establish a channel of communication between the families and the Governments concerned, to ensure that individual cases are investigated, with the objective of clarifying the whereabouts of persons who, having disappeared, are placed outside the protection of the law. In view of the Working Group's humanitarian mandate, clarification occurs when the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person is clearly established. The Working Group continues to address cases of disappearances until they are resolved.

The Working Group is comprised of five independent experts from all regions of the world. The Chairman-Rapporteur is Mr. Santiago Corcuera, and the other Expert-Members are Mr. Darko Gottlicher, Mr. Saied Rajaie Khorasani, Mr. Jeremy J. Sarkin and Mr. Stephen J. Toope.

For more information on the WGEID, please refer to the web site: http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/disappear/index.htm