UN WORKING GROUP ON

ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES

CONCLUDED ITS 92nd SESSION AND ADOPTED ITS ANNUAL REPORT

12 November 2010

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances concluded its 92nd session, which was held from 3 to 12 November 2010, at the United Nations Office in Geneva.

During its92nd session, the Working Group examined 23 reported cases under its urgent action procedure, 284 newly-submitted cases of enforced disappearances and information on previously accepted cases concerning the following countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cameroon, Chad, China, Colombia,Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Georgia, India, Iraq, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Government responses to urgent appeals, prompt intervention letters and general allegations from Bahrain, Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistanwere also reviewed.

The Working Group also examined allegations submitted by credible sources 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.

During the 92ndsession, the Working Group received delegations from the Governments of Iraq, Japan, Nepal and Rwanda to exchange views on individual cases and on the issue of enforced disappearance in general, It also met withmembers of the Committee Against Torture as well as with non-governmental organizations and family members of disappeared personsregarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration in their respective countries.Members of the Working Group also held a series of informal bilateral meetings with some States with a view to enhance cooperation.

The Working Group also finalized and approved its 2010 annual report, which includes chapters on 94 States and two general comments on the right to the truth in relation to enforced disappearances and on enforced disappearance as a continuous crime. The report also includes all new cases and those already under consideration, and the Working Group’s major concerns and observations. The report will be presented at the 16th session of the Human Rights Council, in March 2011, together with the report on the Working Group’s official mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina undertaken from 14 to 21 June 2010, follow up reports, and the study on best practices on enforced disappearances in domestic criminal legislation mandated by the Human Rights Council resolution 14/10. All these documents will become public at the beginning of 2011.

During this session, the Working Group observed its 30th Anniversary by holding a commemorative event on 5 November. Participants includedH.E. Ambassador Bente Angell-Hansen, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, and Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. Among the panelists were distinguished experts including former and current members of the Working Group.

The Working Group is satisfied that 19 countries ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and looks forward to thefinal ratification needed for it to enter into force. The Working Group again calls upon States that have not signedand/or ratified the Convention to do so as soon as possible so that the Convention can enterinto force in the near future. It also calls upon States, when ratifying the Convention, toaccept the competence of the Committee to receive individual cases, under article 31, andinter-State complaints under article 32 of the Convention.

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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 also provides assistance in the implementation by States of the United Nations Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The Working Group 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. Ariel Dulitkzy (Argentina), Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina),Mr. Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon) and Mr. Olivier de Frouville (France).

For more information on the WGEID, please refer to the following web site:

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