Syria: Group of experts call for action into enforced disappearances as crimes against humanity
GENEVA (20 March 2014) – The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearances called for action by the highest United Nations bodies
to tackle the disappearance issue in Syria.
“Enforced disappearances are being perpetrated as a systematic and
widespread attack on civilians, thus qualifying as a crime against
humanity,” they observed relying on the findings of the International
Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. “The situation of
enforced disappearances in Syria is alarming and deserves immediate UN
attention,” the five-strong group of experts emphasized.
The Working Group has been following the situation in Syria since the
beginning of the conflict. In September 2011, the expert body sent an
official communication to the Government of Syria reporting systematic
human rights violations committed by the Syrian authorities, including
enforced disappearances. Since then, the experts have received an
increasing number of cases under its different procedures.
“We are also deeply concerned that opposition forces have resorted to
similar practices against civilians perceived to be supporting the
Government, human rights defenders, journalists and religious leaders,”
they said.
In light of its serious concern and the gravity of the
situation, the Working Group requested last week the Security Council
“to consider referring the matter to the International Criminal Court”.
The independent experts have also called on the Human Rights Council,
the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and the Joint Special
Representative for Syria requesting action by their respective bodies
and mandates.
“We also call on Syria to take decisive action to
eradicate enforced disappearances, ensure its prevention and bring
perpetrators to account,” the experts concluded.
(*) The Working Group is comprised of five
independent experts from all regions of the world: Mr. Ariel Dulitzky
(Argentina), Chair-Rapporteur; Mr. Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon), Vice
Chairperson; Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Mr. Olivier
de Frouville (France); and Mr. Jeremy Sarkin (South Africa).
The Working Group was established by the UN Commission on Human
Rights in 1980 to assist families in determining the fate and
whereabouts of disappeared relatives. It 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 are clearly established.
GENEVA (20 March 2014) – The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearances called for action by the highest United Nations bodies
to tackle the disappearance issue in Syria.
“Enforced disappearances are being perpetrated as a systematic and
widespread attack on civilians, thus qualifying as a crime against
humanity,” they observed relying on the findings of the International
Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. “The situation of
enforced disappearances in Syria is alarming and deserves immediate UN
attention,” the five-strong group of experts emphasized.
The Working Group has been following the situation in Syria since the
beginning of the conflict. In September 2011, the expert body sent an
official communication to the Government of Syria reporting systematic
human rights violations committed by the Syrian authorities, including
enforced disappearances. Since then, the experts have received an
increasing number of cases under its different procedures.
“We are also deeply concerned that opposition forces have resorted to
similar practices against civilians perceived to be supporting the
Government, human rights defenders, journalists and religious leaders,”
they said.
In light of its serious concern and the gravity of the
situation, the Working Group requested last week the Security Council
“to consider referring the matter to the International Criminal Court”.
The independent experts have also called on the Human Rights Council,
the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and the Joint Special
Representative for Syria requesting action by their respective bodies
and mandates.
“We also call on Syria to take decisive action to
eradicate enforced disappearances, ensure its prevention and bring
perpetrators to account,” the experts concluded.
(*) The Working Group is comprised of five
independent experts from all regions of the world: Mr. Ariel Dulitzky
(Argentina), Chair-Rapporteur; Mr. Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon), Vice
Chairperson; Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Mr. Olivier
de Frouville (France); and Mr. Jeremy Sarkin (South Africa).
The Working Group was established by the UN Commission on Human
Rights in 1980 to assist families in determining the fate and
whereabouts of disappeared relatives. It 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 are clearly established.
Disappearances called for action by the highest United Nations bodies
to tackle the disappearance issue in Syria.
“Enforced disappearances are being perpetrated as a systematic and
widespread attack on civilians, thus qualifying as a crime against
humanity,” they observed relying on the findings of the International
Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. “The situation of
enforced disappearances in Syria is alarming and deserves immediate UN
attention,” the five-strong group of experts emphasized.
The Working Group has been following the situation in Syria since the
beginning of the conflict. In September 2011, the expert body sent an
official communication to the Government of Syria reporting systematic
human rights violations committed by the Syrian authorities, including
enforced disappearances. Since then, the experts have received an
increasing number of cases under its different procedures.
“We are also deeply concerned that opposition forces have resorted to
similar practices against civilians perceived to be supporting the
Government, human rights defenders, journalists and religious leaders,”
they said.
In light of its serious concern and the gravity of the
situation, the Working Group requested last week the Security Council
“to consider referring the matter to the International Criminal Court”.
The independent experts have also called on the Human Rights Council,
the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and the Joint Special
Representative for Syria requesting action by their respective bodies
and mandates.
“We also call on Syria to take decisive action to
eradicate enforced disappearances, ensure its prevention and bring
perpetrators to account,” the experts concluded.
(*) The Working Group is comprised of five
independent experts from all regions of the world: Mr. Ariel Dulitzky
(Argentina), Chair-Rapporteur; Mr. Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon), Vice
Chairperson; Ms. Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Mr. Olivier
de Frouville (France); and Mr. Jeremy Sarkin (South Africa).
The Working Group was established by the UN Commission on Human
Rights in 1980 to assist families in determining the fate and
whereabouts of disappeared relatives. It 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 are clearly established.
