Advanced edition of UN report on secret detentions available

The United Nations released a highly anticipated report on secret detentions in the World. The report was compiled and written in first instance within the context of human rights in the fight against terrorism.

The special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Special Rapporteru on Torture, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances (UNWGEID) compiled information from all over the World about the prevalence of secret detention.

The participation of the UNWGEID underlines the close connection between secret detentions and enforced disappearances. The new Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances unequivocally states in art. 17(1). The report highlights how these two concepts are closely related. 

One of the most important recommendations of this report is that States should ratify and implement the Convention. Other important points in the report are the clarification on the link between incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances (see par.11); an overview of the relation between secret detention and enforced disappearances (par. 28 -30; the renewed recognition of the family as victim (f.e. par. 29 and35); and the unambiguous statement that the so-called fourth element of the definition of enforced disappearance in the Convention is the "objective consequence" of the third element, namely: the denial (par.28).