The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) concluded its 126th session, which took place between 7 and 11 February 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland.
During the session, the Working Group examined 17 reported cases of enforced disappearances it had transmitted under its urgent action procedure since 29 September 2021, concerning Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, and Saudi Arabia.
It also reviewed 727 cases, including newly reported cases outside the urgent action procedure and updated information on previously transmitted cases concerning Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
The Working Group also reviewed responses from various Governments to prompt intervention letters, general allegations and urgent appeals. It adopted new general allegations, and held discussions on the progress of a number of projects, including a follow-up report on the recommendations made on its report to the visit in Ukraine, a new thematic report on new technologies and enforced disappearances and a stocktaking study to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1992 Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. It also discussed the prospects for envisaged country visits in 2022, notably to Cyprus and Kenya.
In the spirit of its humanitarian mandate, the Working Group continued to document and discuss acts tantamount to enforced disappearances perpetrated by non-state actors. In this context, the Working Group decided to transmit 3 cases to the de facto authorities in Sana’a, Yemen based on the information submitted by sources.
The experts also met with relatives of disappeared persons, non-governmental organizations, State representatives and other stakeholders.
The Working Group will hold its 127th session from 9-13 May 2022.