Question of enforced or involuntary disappearances

Reaffirms that any act of enforced disappearance is an offence to human dignity and a grave and flagrant violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms; reiterates its invitation to all Governments to take appropriate legislative or other steps to prevent and suppress the practice of enforced disappearances; calls upon Governments to take steps to ensure that, when a state of emergency is introduced, the protection of human rights is ensured; reminds Governments of the need to ensure that their competent authorities conduct prompt and impartial inquiries in all circumstances, whenever there is a reason to believe that an enforced disappearance has occurred in territory under their jurisdiction; once again urges the Governments concerned to take steps to protect the families of disappeared persons against any intimidation or ill-treatment; requests all States to consider the possibility of disseminating the text of the Declaration in their respective national languages and to facilitate its dissemination in local languages; expresses its appreciation to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of the Commission on Human Rights for its humanitarian work; requests the Working Group to take into account the provisions of the Declaration and to modify its working methods; recalls the importance of the Working Group, the primary role of which to act as a channel of communication between the families of disappeared persons and the Governments concerned.

Adopted without vote, 85th meeting

4 p.

Adopted at the 85th plenary meeting, 9 Dec. 1998.