Committee on Enforced Disappearances to visit Mexico

GENEVA (12 November 2021) – The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) will make a country visit to Mexico from 15 to 26 November to identify the means to tackle enforced disappearances. It is the first country visit of the Committee since its creation.

The CED delegation will travel to 12 Mexican states to visit federal and state authorities. The CED members will hold discussions with government officials who are in charge of the investigation and prevention of enforced disappearances, of locating disappeared persons, as well as those responsible for establishing and implementing related public policies.

The experts will also meet victims, civil society representatives, the national human rights institution, international organizations, and others. They will attend exhumations carried out by the authorities and groups of victims. In addition, the delegation will visit places of deprivation of liberty such as prisons and detention centres to examine their registration system as a means to prevent enforced disappearances.

“The Committee particularly welcomes Mexico’s agreement to this visit, which we had requested since 2013,” said Carmen Rosa Villa, the head of the CED delegation.

"According to public records, 94,000 people were disappeared as of 11 November 2021 in Mexico. Our direct engagement with State authorities, victims, civil society organizations and human rights institutions is key. By working together, we can conclude lessons learnt and identify ways to contribute to the eradication and prevention of enforced disappearances in the country," she added.  

The CED will carry out its visit in compliance with its mandate under the Convention.

The delegation plans to hold a press conference at the end of the visit at 3pm on 26 November, at Sala Digna Ochoa, Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la Ciudad de México, Av. Universidad 1449, Axotla, Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City. The Committee will also present its preliminary observations to the Government of Mexico.

The Plenary of the Committee will further adopt and publish a public report in March next year to share its conclusions and recommendations.

The CED delegation will be composed of Carmen Rosa Villa Quintana, Chair of the Committee and Head of Delegation, Juan-Pablo Albán Alencastro, Juan-José Lopez Ortega, and Horacio Ravenna.

ENDS

Background

The Committee on Enforced Disappearances monitors States parties’ adherence to the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The Committee is made up of 10 members who are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties.