What is the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and how does it protect people?

 



The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was adopted by General Assembly Resolution A/RES/61/177 in December 2006 and came into force in December 2010. Countries that ratify the Convention agree to be legally bound by it and are called State Parties.

In short, the Convention:

  • Provides that no one shall be subject to enforced disappearance without exception, even in time of war or other public emergency
  • Obliges States parties to criminalize enforced disappearance and make it a punishable offence
  • Provides that enforced disappearance constitutes a crime against humanity when practiced in a widespread or systematic manner
  • Prohibits secret detention
Obliges State Parties to guarantee minimum legal standards around the deprivation of liberty, such as maintaining official registers of persons deprived of liberty with minimum of information and authorizing them to communicate with their family, counsel, or any other person of their choice.

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