GENEVA (16 September 2022) – The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will hold its 128th session from 19 to 28 September 2022 to examine 696 cases from 21 countries.
In the spirit of its humanitarian mandate, the Working Group will also review allegations received concerning acts tantamount to enforced disappearances perpetrated by non-state actors, and document these cases.
The five independent experts will hold meetings with relatives of forcibly disappeared persons, State representatives, civil society groups and other stakeholders to exchange information on individual cases and on structural issues and challenges related to enforced disappearances. The Working Group will also hold its annual joint meeting with the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, on 21 September 2022.
During the session, the experts will examine allegations received regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, such as regressive legislation and practices, or systemic failures in addressing cases of enforced disappearance, notably in the areas of truth and justice.
The Working Group will also discuss internal matters and future activities, such as the envisaged country visits, as well as its next reports to the Human Rights Council, including its upcoming study on new technologies and enforced disappearances.
The session of the Working Group will coincide with the presentation of its annual report to the 51stsession of the Human Rights Council on 20 September 2022. The Working Group will also report to the Human Rights Council on its country visit to Cyprus and its thematic study on the 1992 Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
On Friday 23 September 2022, the Working Group will hold a public event marking the 30th anniversary of the Declaration, which is the subject of its thematic annual report.
The decisions made by the Working Group during the 128th session will be reflected in its next post-sessional report.
The sessions of the Working Group are held in private.