UN expert group to review disappearances in Sri Lanka

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will hold its 120th session in Geneva from 10 to 14 February 2020 to examine more than 530 cases from 32 countries, including Sri Lanka.

The five independent experts will meet relatives of forcibly disappeared people, state authorities, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to exchange information on individual cases and on the persistent practice of enforced disappearances.

The experts will also examine allegations received regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, such as regressive legislation and practices, or systemic failures in addressing cases of enforced disappearance.

Issues such as disappearances perpetrated by non-state actors as well as enforced disappearances occurring in the context of state-sponsored extraterritorial operations will also be discussed.

As the Group is marking its 40^th anniversary, it will organize a public session on Friday 14 February 2020 in Palais des Nations room IX at 11 a.m. to launch a series of audiovisual tools to help relatives and other stakeholders have a good understanding of its work and facilitate access to the mechanism.?

A press conference will also be held on Friday 14 February at 1 p.m. in press room 3, Palais des Nations, Geneva.

The rest of the session of the Working Group is held in private.

The?Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances?is comprised of five independent experts from all regions of the world.

The Chair-Rapporteur is Luciano Hazan?(Argentina) and the Vice-Chair is?Mr. Tae-Ung Baik?(Republic of Korea); other members are?Ms. Houria Es-Slami?(Morocco);?Mr. Bernard Duhaime?(Canada) and?Mr. Henrikas Mickevicius?(Lithuania).

(Colombo Gazette)