UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances

The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has been set up to investigate cases in which persons are detained or killed by states in secret prisons and the corpses are disposed of so that nothing can be proven to them.

The UN mandate

The UN Human Rights Commission created this body on February 29, 1980 by means of a resolution,{{cite web|title=Schaffung und Mandat|periodical=E/Cn.4/Res/1980/20/(Xxxvi)|publisher=UN-Menschenrechtskommission|url=https://spinternet.ohchr.org/SP/Resolutions/Shared%20Documents/RES/E_CN-4_RES_1980_20_(XXXVI)_E.pdf|access-date=2019-04-08|date=1980-02-29}} which also defined the mandate. This UN mandate is limited to three years and is regularly renewed. After the UN Human Rights Commission was replaced in 2006 by the UN Human Rights Council,{{cite web|title=UN-Menschenrechtsrat|periodical=Menschenrechte Durchsetzen|publisher=Hrsg: Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen e. V. (DGVN)|url=https://menschenrechte-durchsetzen.dgvn.de/akteure-instrumente/menschenrechtsrat/|access-date=2019-03-24}} Der Menschenrechtsrat löste die Menschenrechtskommission ab, die bis 2006 das wichtigste Gremium im Menschenrechtsschutz der Vereinten Nationen gewesen war, sich jedoch zunehmen Kritik an ihrer Effizienz ausgesetzt sah.{{cite web|title=Entscheid der UN-Generalversammlung den Menschenrechtsrat zu schaffen|periodical=UN-Res. 60/251|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Generalversammlung|url=https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N05/502/67/IMG/N0550267.pdf?OpenElement|format=pdf|access-date=2019-03-24|date=2006-03-15|pages=1, Pkt. 1}} it is now in charge and exercising oversight. The last extension of the mandate took place on October 6, 2020.[http://www.undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/45/3]

The members of the working group are not United Nations staff but are mandated by the UN {{cite web|title=Ernennung der Sonderberichterstatter|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Menschenrechtsrat|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/HRBodies/HRC/SP/Pages/Nominations.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}}{{cite web|title=Sonderverfahren|periodical=Menschenrechtsrat|publisher=Hrsg: Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte|url=https://www.institut-fuer-menschenrechte.de/menschenrechtsinstrumente/vereinte-nationen/menschenrechtsrat/sonderverfahren/|access-date=2019-04-05}} and the UN Human Rights Council has adopted a code of conduct.{{cite web | url=http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/F/HRC/resolutions/A_HRC_RES_5_2.doc | title=Verhaltenskodex | work=A/HRC/RES/5/2 | publisher=UN-Menschenrechtsrat | date=2007-06-18 | access-date=2019-04-28 | format=Word}} The independent status of elected representatives is crucial for the impartial performance of their duties.{{cite web | url=https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/SP/Manual_Operations2008.pdf | title=Handlungshandbuch | publisher=UN-Menschenrechtsrat | access-date=2019-04-28 }} The term of office of a mandate is limited to a maximum of six years.{{cite web|title=Sonderberichterstatter|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Menschenrechtsrat|url=https://www.ohchr.org/fr/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Welcomepage.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}}

The working group prepares thematic studies and develops guidelines for the improvement of human rights. She makes country visits{{cite web|title=Länderbesuche|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Menschenrechtsrat|url=https://www.ohchr.org/fr/HRBodies/SP/Pages/CountryandothervisitsSP.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}} and can make recommendations in an advisory capacity.{{cite web|title=Empfehlungen|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Menschenrechtsrat|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Recommendations.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}} Its tasks include examining communications{{cite web|title=Mitteilungen allgemein|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Communications.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}} and proposing to States how to remedy any abuses. It also makes follow-up procedures,{{cite web|title=Anschlussverfahren|publisher=Hrsg: UN-Menschenrechtsrat|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/HRBodies/SP/Pages/FollowUp.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}} in which it reviews the implementation of the recommendations. To this end, it draws up annual reports to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

Members of the WEIGD

class="wikitable" style="width:450px;"
Name{{cite web|title=Mitglieder vom WGAD|publisher=Hrsg: WGEID|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/Issues/Disappearances/Pages/Members.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}}CountrySince{{cite web|title=Einleitung; Mitglieder der WGEID|publisher=Hrsg: WGAD|url=https://www.ohchr.org/FR/Issues/Disappearances/Pages/DisappearancesIndex.aspx|access-date=2019-04-05}}
Mr. Bernard Duhaime{{CAN}}2014
Mr. Tae-Ung Baik{{KOR}}2015
Ms Houria Es-Slami{{MAR}}2014
Mr. Henrikas Mickevičius{{LTU}}2015
Mr. Luciano A. Hazan{{ARG}}2017

Relevant international human rights instruments

References

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