UNITED NATIONS: Enforced disappearance should not exist in the 21st century, but reports of the “heinous” crime continue to be received in unacceptably high numbers, two UN experts said, stressing that the cases they receive represent only a small percentage of a much worse and gruesome reality.

“The crime of enforced disappearance is as unacceptable today as it was decades ago when it first came to the attention of the international community, and there are neither reasons nor circumstances that can ever be invoked to justify it,” said Suela Janina, Chair of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, and Bernard Duhaime, who chairs the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances.

Ms Janina said: “Enfor­ced disappearance is a sha­meful practice and a crime under international human rights law, whether it is used to repress political dissent, combat organised crime or carried out under the guise of fighting terrorism.”

Responding to a question on Pakistan at a press conference, Mr Bernard Du­­h­amme said: “We have recei­ved over 800 complaints of disappearances from Pakis­tan. However, he said: “We cannot visit Pakistan to investigate or inquire, about the disappearances because Pakistan is not a member of the convention on disappearance.”

Mr Duhaime said: “The Working Group has witnessed a big increase in so-called ‘short term’ disappearances in a number of countries, particularly in the context of the fight against terrorism.

“These disappearances relate to the practice of putting individuals outside the protection of the law for a limited period, during which time they are usually interrogated and often ill-treated or tortured to get forced confessions or ‘evidence’.”

The experts told the UN General Assembly there was no time limit, however short, for an enforced disappearance.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2017