Disappearances: UN expert panel studied 170 cases - 10 under its urgent action procedure

SARAJEVO (25 June 2010) – The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances examined 10 reported cases under its urgent action procedure during its 91st session, held from 22 to 25 June 2010, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UN expert body also studied 170 newly-submitted cases of enforced disappearances and information on previously accepted cases.

The cases concern Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yemen. Responses from the Government of Algeria to prompt intervention letters were also reviewed.

“Enforced disappearances remain a global problem,” said Jeremy Sarkin, head of the UN Working Group. “Cases continue to be reported from all corners of the world. The fact that so many cases are reported under our urgent action procedure, that allows cases to be dealt with swiftly where they have occurred within 90 days of being reported, indicates that more needs to be done by all stakeholders to prevent and eradicate the practice.”

Since its creation, the Working Group has dealt with more than 50,000 cases in 80 countries.
The Group establishes a channel of communication between the families and the Governments concerned, to ensure that individual cases are investigated in order to clarifying the whereabouts of persons who, having disappeared, are placed outside the protection of the law. The Group continues to address cases of disappearances until they are resolved.

During its session in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UN expert body also held meetings with representatives of the Governments of Chad and Japan as well as consultations with non-governmental organizations and family members of disappeared persons, including from the region, to exchange views on individual cases under consideration and on the phenomenon of enforced disappearances in general.

The Working Group also examined allegations submitted by non-governmental organizations regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and decided to transmit general allegations to the concerned Governments.

“In its 30th year since the establishment of the Working Group the Group reiterates its call on the UN to proclaim 30 August as the International Day of the Disappeared,” said Mr. Sarkin, noting that 18 of the necessary 20 state ratifications needed for the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances has occurred. “We call on all other states to ratify the Convention and accept the state and individual complaint process under the Convention.”

“We are enormously pleased to welcome a new member, Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who was appointed as its first female member in the 30th anniversary year of the establishment of the Working Group,” concluded Mr. Sarkin.

(*) The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is comprised of five independent experts from all regions of the world. The Chair-Rapporteur is Mr. Jeremy Sarkin (South Africa), and the other Members are Mr. Santiago Corcuera (Mexico), Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzogovina), Mr. Olivier de Frouville (France) and Mr. Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon).

Check the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/disappearance-convention.htm