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UN adopts international treaty against forced disappearances
October 1, 2005 |
The United Nations has adopted an international treaty against forced disappearances, called the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists, the International Federation of Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch commended the great step forward in the fight against forced disappearances, and called on all UN member states to ensure that the treaty is ratified as soon as possible.
This
convention is an important development in the fight against forced
disappearances for several reasons. First, it is an autonomous treaty
with its own monitoring organizations. This guarantees that the treaty
will be effective in the future, even after
reforms of the UN human rights system. Further, while the convention is
based on established standards in customary law, it also recognizes a
new right not to be subjected to forced disappearances; thus, it is an
important step forward in the development of international law on the
issue. The convention also recognizes that forced disappearance can be
considered a crime against humanity it some instances, and so can be
prosecuted in international criminal proceedings. Finally, the
convention’s establishment of several legal instruments, such as the
mandatory jurisdiction of the treaty’s committe in the case of urgent
appeals, will further the effective prevention of forced
disappearances.
The
Convention will be an invaluable tool in the fight against impunity for
perpetrators of forced disappearances. The four human rights
organizations also believe that the treaty provides a solid platform
for the future, and they will watch to ensure that it is interpreted in
an evolutionary way.
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