WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION TO VISIT ARGENTINA FROM 22 SEPTEMBER TO 2 OCTOBER 2003

9 September 2003

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will visit Argentina from 22 September to 2 October 2003 at the invitation of the Government. The Group will visit several detention centres in the Federal Capital, the Province of Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Salta and Santiago del Estero.
The Working Group will also meet with several federal authorities of the Executive Power, including members of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of the Interior, and of Justice; with members of the Congress and with officials of the Judiciary. Meetings are scheduled with Magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice and of the Penal Courts; with members of the Attorney-General’s Office, the Public Defense Office, and the Human Rights Office; and with provincial officials. The delegation will talk with representatives of various national and local non-governmental organizations, lawyers, witnesses and family members of persons in detention.
The findings of the visit will be published as part of the Working Group’s report to the sixtieth session of the Commission on Human Rights to be held next March and April.
The delegation will be headed by Tamás Bán, the Working Group’s Vice-Chairperson, and will include Soledad Villagra de Biedermann, as well as members of the Working Group’s Secretariat.
The Commission on Human Rights established the Working Group in 1991 to investigate allegations of arbitrary deprivation of liberty. Its mandate was extended in 1997 to cover the issue of administrative custody of asylum seekers and immigrants. It has carried out fact-finding missions to Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, Peru and Viet Nam. Concerning the issue of immigrants and asylum seekers, it has visited Australia, Romania and the United Kingdom.
The Working Group is composed of five independent experts appointed according to criteria governing equitable geographical distribution. In addition to Mr. Bán (Hungarian) and Ms. Villagra (Paraguayan), it is composed of the following members: Leïla Zerroügui (Algerian), the Working Group’s Chairperson-Rapporteur; Manuela Carmena Castrillo (Spanish), and Seyyed Mohammad Hashemi (Iranian).
For further information on the Working Group’s mandate, please call Miguel de la Lama (tel. +41 22 917 92 89), or consult Fact Sheet N° 26: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, published by the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (http:www.unhchr.ch/htm1/menu6/2/fs26.htm).