14th Meeting - 60th Session of Human Rights Council

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I hereby declare open the 14th meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, we will continue with the interactive dialogue with Working Group on Enforced Disappearance. We now turn to the list of speakers. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Norway on behalf of a group of countries. Looks like Norway is absent. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia on behalf of a group of countries.

Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect.

The work of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is critical. Enforced disappearances are often indicators of atrocities being committed. They may in themselves constitute crimes against humanity,

and in some contexts can form part of war crimes or genocidal campaigns.

Their legacy perpetuates grievances, cycles of impunity and the erosion of social cohesion. We note the working group's recent paper on universal criminal jurisdiction. Consistent advocacy by victims and families has driven innovation in accountability, including efforts to uncover the fate of the missing and to identify the perpetrators of the crime.

Addressing enforced disappearances is therefore both a matter of justice for victims

and a vital contribution to peace, stability and atrocity prevention.

As we mark

R2P's 20th anniversary, we reaffirm states' responsibility to prevent and respond to atrocity crimes, address their legacies and act

when such patterns emerge.

We would welcome the working group's reflections on how States can better integrate lessons from past disappearances into early warning, prevention and accountability.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of European Union.

Madam Chair of the working group, Enforced disappearance isn't part of the past. It's still being used by authoritarian regimes to repress civil society and by parties to conflict. 1,278 cases have been drawn to the attention of 38 States between May of 2024 and May of this year. So the work of the working group is useful on a daily basis to combating impunity and allowing loved ones to find responses. The European Union reiterates its unwavering commitment to combatting enforced disappearance, we vehemently condemn it, whether it be perpetrated by state or private actors, and they're an international crime since the adoption in 2006 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. We'd like to thank the working group for its latest report on enforced and involuntary disappearances. It highlights a worrying trend, the growing exposure of human rights defenders working on environmental subjects to threats, harassment and forced or involuntary disappearance. This is a heightened risk when they're working on subjects with major economic and financial consequences. The EU calls on all states to cooperate with the working group and encourages them to ratify the international convention. We thank the states that have made commitments during the World Congress on the 15th and 16th of January and we call for the Congress to be fully implemented. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana on behalf of Group of African States, Africa Group.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. We thank the working group for its comprehensive report and for its efforts to fully implement its mandate. despite the constraints caused by the ongoing liquidity crisis. We remain concerned that enforced disappearances remain a global phenomenon, including in Africa, especially in the context of the defence of land, natural resources and the environment. At the regional level, the African Union has taken important steps, including the adoption of the AU Transitional Justice Policy and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has developed guidelines for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance in Africa. These instruments provide practical and strategic direction for our states in the prevention, protection of victims, and holding perpetrators accountable. The African group welcomes the working group study of the use of universal criminal jurisdiction in cases of enforced disappearance to promote accountability. We particularly underscore the importance of approaches that are victim-centered, inclusive, and respectful of national contexts. We reiterate the value of interstate cooperation and closer coordination between UN mechanisms and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to eradicate and force disappearances. Finally, these spheres of human rights consist with its international legal obligations. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you. I have the honor to deliver my statement on behalf of the group of 32 states

and my own country, Ukraine.

We commend the working group for the work carried out. Since 2014, and particularly after February 2022, over 70,000 people, including 20,000 children, have been registered as missing in Ukraine. These alarming figures highlight the gravity of Russia's aggression. Russia's occupying forces are increasingly and systematically abducting individuals, arbitrarily detaining them incommunicado, and subjecting them to physical and psychological torture and ill treatment.

We strongly condemn the reportedly

systematic use of enforced disappearances by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and its refusal to engage

with the working group.

provide information on Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilian detainees and deported children in violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law. In this regard, we call on the working group to continue its active monitoring on the situation in Ukraine, including through urgent actions and thematic reporting, to urge Russia to grant access to all international monitoring missions in all temporary occupied territories, to support Ukraine's efforts to document these crimes and ensure accountability at both the national and international levels. We count on the continued support of the working group and the entire international community in our fight for justice and safe return of all Ukrainians.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria on behalf of a group of Arab

states.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I'm honored to live this statement on behalf of the Arab group. the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories face a wave of arrests of civilians. We can see that the occupying power, Israel, has adopted a systematic policy of enforced disappearance against Palestinians. We condemn this crime against Palestinians. It is an international crime. under the International Convention on enforced disappearance and relative Geneva Conventions. We call on relevant UN mechanisms to combat this crime and to support the search for all victims. There are systematic attacks on Palestinians and we call for these attacks to be halted, as well as the systematic violations of human rights, which tend to amount to international crimes. We call upon the international community to take a firm stance in order to bring an end to this situation. Thank you very much, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Norway. on behalf of a group of countries.

Madam Vice-President, my apologies and thank you for your understanding.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries. We thank the Working Group for its tireless and important work to shed light on enforced disappearances. Thousands of people disappear due to their civil or political engagement. We are deeply troubled that some states use enforced disappearances as a tool to intimidate and silence civil society. It is the exact opposite of the rule of law and may constitute crimes against humanity or war crimes. As the report highlights, enforced disappearances are also used as a tool to target human rights defenders, communities, indigenous peoples, and other actors who advocate for the preservation of their land and natural resources. Both states and non-state actors, including enterprises, are responsible for such human rights violations and abuses. States are responsible for properly investigating enforced disappearances, holding perpetrators to account, and ensuring justice for victims. Failure to do so may lead to cycles of impunity and the erosion of social cohesion. Addressing enforced disappearances is therefore a vital contribution to peace and stability. We encourage all states to accept and facilitate visits by the Working Group. And my question would be, What are the most effective mechanisms that the international community can use to hold states accountable for enforced disappearances?

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Mexico would like to thank the Working Group for its report, and we reiterate our commitment to the prevention, investigation, punishment and eradication of enforced or involuntary disappearances. Searching for persons is one of my government's top priorities. In recent years, Mexico has strengthened its institutional and budgetary frameworks. The National Search Commission and 32 local commissions work constantly with families and associations and have established fora for dialogue and coordination with them. The national strategy for mass search, set up in 2023, has led to enhanced technical capacity, a stronger national network of searchers and enhanced human identification techniques. We pay tribute to the courage of families, particularly mother searchers, whose efforts have been vital for more effective policies. And We provide specific protection measures to those mothers, journalists and human rights defenders. These mechanisms are a model for our region. We are welcome to receive international cooperation. We'll continue to work with the working group and UN mechanisms, convinced that truth, justice and memory are foundations for the crime not to be repeated. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of United Republic of Tanzania.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by Ghana on behalf of the Africa Group. The United Republic of Tanzania has taken note of the report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. We reaffirm our commitment to the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democratic values. We note the reference of two outstanding cases and appreciate the working group's note that the majority of cases concerning Tanzania have already been clarified or closed. The remaining matters are under review by the relevant authorities and update will be provided to the working group. Tanzania upholds freedom of expression and press freedom. and continues to strengthen accountability through reforms in the media sector and constructive engagement with stakeholders. Allegations against the government of enforced disappearances or systematic violence against journalists, civil society, or political parties are unfounded, and as such, acts are neither tolerated nor condoned under Tanzanian law. Finally, we reaffirm our commitment to ensure that the forthcoming general elections in October 2025 are conducted in a free, and peaceful manner, with mechanisms in place to guarantee the safety and independence of journalists and all stakeholders. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. My delegation would like to congratulate the working group for its high-quality report. In Burkina Faso, enforced disappearance is considered to be a serious crime, is punished under the criminal code and can be subject to life in prison for perpetrating it. The National Human Rights Commission receives individual and collective complaints about allegations of enforced disappearances and conducts investigations into them. It can provide advice to victims and legal support. Also, An interministerial working group has been set up in order to facilitate investigation into human rights violations as part of our counter-terrorism operations. Furthermore, when the government receives information about enforced involuntary disappearances, official investigations are launched by the competent authorities into them. Lastly, my government wishes the working group every success in its work. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Afghanistan.

Thank you, Vice President. We thank the working group for its report. Enforced disappearances continue to be pervasive at the hands of the Taliban. Women, human rights defenders, journalists, activists, members of ethnic and religious communities, and anyone perceived to threaten the Taliban's control are targeted. Hundreds of women, former security forces, and human rights activists are still unaccounted for. The low number of cases submitted to the working group do not reflect the true widespread and systematic nature of enforced disappearances in Afghanistan. Underreporting and the lack of documentation render these abuses invisible. An open letter from the civil society highlights that tens of thousands of enforced disappearances, along with other abuses, remain undocumented and unreported. The CEDAW Committee's concluding observation on Afghanistan's fourth periodic report further emphasizes the enforced disappearance of women from public life as a part of the Taliban's systematic pattern of gender persecution. Afghanistan stresses that a core motive for continuing the investigation of Taliban's leader at the ICC is the pursuit of truth about the fate of victims of enforced disappearance, as stated in the recent report by OHCHR. Therefore, we call for an independent international accountability mechanism complementary to the Special Rapporteur's mandate. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of State of Palestine. Thank you.

Israel, a genocidal power, has used every possible tool of warfare available to it, with the complicity of several member states, to dehumanize and destroy the Palestinian people. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is the latest and gravest chapter of Israel's settler colonial project. Thousands of Palestinians throughout Palestine, but particularly in Gaza, have been arbitrarily detained, forcibly disappeared, their names and locations withheld. Reports, videos, and testimonies reveal systematic torture, starvation, humiliation, sexual violence, and abuse in detention. Field executions have been documented with bodies uncovered in mass graves, blindfolded, handcuffed, and executed in cold blood. These crimes are not isolated acts. They are deliberate and systematic. Torture and forced disappearances constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The greatest challenge facing the international system is impunity. Unless the double standards and racist application of international law end, we will continue to witness the repetition of atrocity crimes, including genocide. We call on the working group to employ the correct legal terminology when describing the situation. This is not merely a conflict or hostilities. It is genocide, as the COI has also concluded yesterday. We urge the group to give urgent priority to addressing the enforced disappearances of Palestinians. As for member states, we reiterate that the obligation now falls upon you to impose sanctions and arms embargo and to ensure that all available measures of accountability are pursued without delay. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan.

Vice President, the need to clarify the fate and the whereabouts of close to 4,000 disappeared and missing Azerbaijani citizens remains a pressing humanitarian issue. Although hundreds of those who are reported missing were seen alive at the moment of their captivity, they then disappeared without a trace. Dozens of Azerbaijani detainees died or went missing even after being visited in custody by the ICRC. Azerbaijan continues to take all possible measures to bring clarity to the fate of the missing persons. Sharing information on the location of mass graves and mines in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan would significantly facilitate the search for the missing persons. Since the end of the conflict, 28 mass graves have been discovered in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. Mass graves shed light on the willful killing of many civilians and other persons protected under international humanitarian law. International humanitarian law imposes specific obligations with regard to the search for missing persons and the treatment of the dead, including by recovering and returning human remains and identifying, mapping, and preserving mass graves and other burial sites. States are also obliged to investigate and prosecute offenses related to missing persons. We call on the working group to pay close attention to the issues of disappeared Azerbaijani citizens. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Madam Vice President, we thank the working group for the presentation of its report. The present interim government of Bangladesh, sworn in following the student-led mass uprising in August 2024, has put promotion and protection of human rights at the core of its agenda. As a demonstration of its commitment, the government has completed the accession to the Convention on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance in the same month. This August 2025, Bangladesh has also ratified the OPCAT. Madam Vice President, Bangladesh is committed to establishing a fair and transparent domestic criminal justice system to hold the perpetrators accountable for enforced disappearance. The government formed a five-member National Commission of Inquiry to investigate each case of enforced disappearance in the last 15 years. The commission has already made substantial progress in collecting and gathering evidences on the cases of enforced and involuntary disappearances. Our delegation is pleased to note that the working group held several meetings with the commission to share their experience. Despite remain pending for 12 years, the government has responded affirmatively to the request of country visit by the working group. Last June, our government has facilitated a technical visit of a two member delegation of the working group to Bangladesh. Finally, our delegation reiterated our cooperation with and support for the working group, and we shall continue to share necessary information with the group as available and appropriate. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Croatia.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Croatia aligns itself with the EU statement. We thank the working group for the presented reports. As presented, enforced disappearances remain a global phenomenon, which requires effective measures to address and overcome its root causes. We thank the working group for all its work and for its engagement with the member states, including my own country, Croatia, in the past. For 30 years, Croatia is trying to resolve the issue of missing persons stemming from the Homeland War as our national and international priority. At the international level, we highly value our membership, current co-chairmanship, and the cooperation within the Global Alliance for the Missing. At the national level, Croatian Ministry of War Veterans continues gathering information about possible places of hidden mass and individual graves, improving the model for discovering the location and identifying the remains, strengthening the interdepartmental cooperation. Starting from the right of every family to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones and following a sense of morality and justice, Croatia remains dedicated to finding the remaining 1,744 persons disappeared and killed during the Homeland War. We underline once again the importance of enabling access to the archives and disclosing the relevant information by the states which possess them. We would like to ask the working group: What What more could be done in order to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation on this matter? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.

Gracias, Vice President.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Costa Rica thanks the working group for its report. It underscores the importance of punishing enforced disappearance and at the same time strengthening preventive action in order to tackle this serious violation of human rights. In 2024, our country honored a historic debt by enacting a law which incorporates into the criminal code a stand-alone offense of enforced disappearance. This means that enforced disappearance will not be integrated into other offences, but it is a stand-alone crime with proportionate sentences to its seriousness. We have also strengthened inter-institutional co-ordination, set up a warning system and promoted co-operation with other States. We're aware of the risks linked to human mobility, and we have facilitated search process when people go missing, and we provide support to families of victims. Costa Rica will continue to have a constructive dialogue with the working group, and we will use your guidance wisely. We believe that international cooperation is vital for preventing enforced disappearance and searching all those who have gone missing. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Madam Vice President, the Chinese delegation takes note of the report presented by the working group. Enforced disappearances constitute an extreme violation of human rights and should be strictly punished by all countries according to the law. China is a country governed by the rule of law and firmly opposes enforced disappearances. Under China's constitutional law, citizens enjoy personal freedom, and no organization, entity, or individual may unlawfully restrict the freedom of others. China firmly opposes the working group's disregard of the authoritative information provided by China and its slanderous misrepresentation of China's lawful case handling and routine law enforcement activities. The cases mentioned by the working group are lies peddled by anti-China forces overseas and how knows way in China, the so-called cross border repression is a typical example of such lies fabricated by ill intention forces seeking to smear and attack China's normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation. China conducts with other countries such cooperation in strict accordance with law, fully respect their law and judicial sovereignty, and ensure the lawful rights and interests of persons involved. China urges the Working Group to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect basic facts, and act impartially and objectively in strict accordance with the mandate given by the Council and the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. El Salvador has taken note of the report presented and we appreciate this opportunity for a dialogue. We are firmly committed to human rights and we consider transparent and proactive cooperation with special procedures to be one of the cornerstones of our policy. That's why our government has responded in detail and in timely fashion to every concern raised by the working group. We appreciate the value of technical assistance and cooperation, but for our institutions to conduct serious, effective and impartial investigations, we have reiterated We've repeatedly asked for the working group to provide us with the latest information regarding cases registered, including their personal data and the names of family members. This information is vital for strengthening search operations and to provide the necessary support to families. With regard to the references made in the report, El Salvador rejects the idea that there are inhumane detentions in El Salvador. We have humane conditions in our prisons, which have been corroborated by independent organisms, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.

Thank you, Madam Vice President, we have taken due note of the report of the working group on, on, in forced or in voluntary disappearances. The government of my country has inherited the cases referenced in your report by the bygone regime before 2003 as a result of the 1/10 wars launched by this regime, in addition to the atrocious crimes against the Iraqi people as suppressing the popular uprising and the many genocidal crimes that led to large numbers of mass graves and a large number of enforced disappeared have not been disclosed yet. The government is finalizing the unified national register on the missing persons. We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the mandate of the working group to reveal the fate of the enforced this forcibly, the disappeared persons, and to seriously address all the communications submitted. Our question to the working group is, what are the optimal methods that must be adopted by the government of Iraq to reveal the fate of those cases under similar circumstances? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Rwanda.

Madam Vice President, we took note of the report of the working group. We firmly condemn enforced disappearances and establish robust safeguards to prevent such occurrences. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau maintains a dedicated desk for missing persons. Given our shared regional challenges, porous borders and persistent instability, some individuals initially reported missing have been found among armed groups in neighboring countries. Rwanda remains vigilant, actively monitoring and addressing all reported missing person cases within our borders. We note with concern that certain cases of missing persons in DRC have been linked to Rwanda. We urge you caution against this politicized attribution as it risks distorting the reality on the ground. These cases involve Congolese nationals reportedly abducted within DRC by armed groups operating independently of Rwanda. Therefore, respectively emphasizes that this investigation fall under the jurisdiction and responsibility of the DRC authorities. Associating these cases with Rwanda introduces potential misperception, raises concern regarding double standard and may undermine the integrity of humanity mechanism. Rwanda advocates for impartial and consistent application of international human rights standards grounded on factual accuracy, respect for national sovereignty and strengthening the rule of law. I thank you Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We highly value the report of the Working Group on the Enforced Disappearances. We support the efforts to stem this phenomenon. We believe that strengthening human rights, particularly the right to freedom, is well established in our values. Sudan has ratified the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in 2022. The constitution, in its Article 42, establishes this right. Madam Vice President, however, the war by the rebellious militias in 2020 including enforced disappearances, rape, and dispossession of properties, as well as the different cases of violations of human rights, violates the international law and other international instruments. We therefore call the international community to condemn these practices. There are tens of thousands of families that are suffering from unknowing the fate of the missing persons. We need the support of the member states to prevent these cases from happening in the future. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Thank you, Vice-President. The Constitution of Venezuela establishes that personal liberty is inviolable. Therefore, no person can be arrested or detained except under a judicial warrant, except in the case of being caught in the act. Our Constitution prohibits any civil or military authority, even in a state of emergency, to practice, permit or allow enforced disappearance of persons. The Criminal Code provides for severe sanctions for those who commit this grave crime. Therefore, Venezuela rejects the claims and allegations of the working group, echoing information which seeks only to promote negative, politically motivated narratives and opinions against our country. These sources, information should, are, are financed by the same sources that are deploying submarines off the coast of Venezuela and threatening peace in our region. We urge the working group to correct those practices and to develop its work as per the code of conduct, working on the basis of constructive dialogue and co-operation with States and true to the principles of objectivity, impartiality, non-selectivity, respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. Finally, Venezuela reaffirms its willingness to continue co-operating with the special procedures to direct their actions in strict compliance with the UN Charter and the code of conduct in directing and regulating its work. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia.

Madam Vice-President, Armenia recognizes the essential role of mandate in addressing the sufferings caused by enforced disappearance, promoting truth and accountability for victims and their families. We underscore the importance of strengthening this mandate and ensuring effective prevention and eradication of all enforced disappearance worldwide. Armenia attaches high importance to operationalization of paragraph 9 on missing persons and enforced disappearances in the framework of the initial agreement on establishment of peace and interstate relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this regard, important steps have been already undertaken, which informed the discussions of the first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances held in Geneva this year. During the Congress, Armenia pledged to further strengthen victims' support, create the national register of disappeared persons and to enhance regional and international cooperation. Armenia remains steadfast in its commitment to international cooperation, to honoring the memories of disappeared, and provide justice to the families of disappeared. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Thank you, Vice President. Let me take this opportunity to thank the working group for its report and to inform the group, the Human Rights Council and all its observers and the international community as a whole that yesterday the special commission for peace issued its first guilty verdict for crimes committed during the armed conflict in Colombia. in line with the purposes of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition that were established in the peace accords in our country in 2016. Back then, the verdict concerned six members of the former guerrilla group of the FARC, each of whom was found guilty of grave deprivations of liberty, killing and enforced disappearance, in addition to other grave crimes, and was convicted to eight years of symbolic symbolic sentence regarding the truth, justice, search for persons and comprehensive actions against anti-personnel mines. The verdict contains 130 charges regarding accountability of perpetrators and calling for the implementation of specific activities. by state authorities to ensure compliance with obligations for persons who've been found guilty and to provide reparation to the victims there is hope for Colombia and for the world thank you

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Benin

thank you Madam President Benin thanks the working group for its report and we congratulate for the results achieved thus far in implementing its mandate, Benin notes with interest the thematic study either group on in force disappeared in the context of the protection of lands, natural resources and the environment, which constitutes a legitimate concern when it comes to the heightened risk of environmental pollution throughout the world. In some regions of Africa, entire communities find themselves forced to leave their lands due to pollution, soil contamination, contamination of water and air by chemical products or toxic waste, often coming from industrial activities or illegal imports. As a state party to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons Against Enforced Disappearance, Since 2017, Benin will have an opportunity to introduce its initial report to the Committee on Enforced Disappearances on 23 and 24 September, confirming its unswerving commitment to co-operating with the treaty bodies and mechanisms of the United Nations. In conclusion, my country reiterates its support to the working group and wishes it every success in pursuing its mandate. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Madam Vice President, Indonesia supports global efforts to end enforced disappearances and remains committed to preventing such practices

through a strengthened legal framework and continuous capacity building for law enforcement.

Our commitment is also

reflected through the enactment of a new criminal code, which further aligns our national legislation with international human rights standards. We wish to emphasize that the government guarantees the protection of human rights defenders in line with the constitution and national laws. Domestic institutions are in place to uphold these protections.

The National Commission on Human Rights and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency

play an important role in ensuring the protections of individuals and groups who promote human rights.

We therefore reject the unsubstantiated allegations made in the working group's report about our country, which are clearly overexaggerated and rely solely on a single unverified source.

We also regret that the working group.

Disproportionately targets the Global South while overlooking the alarming reprisals, intimidation, and arbitrary detention faced by human rights defenders.

In the Global North.

Our law on human rights course criminalizes gross human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, and provides a legal framework for their investigation and prosecution. The Government also formally acknowledged past cases related to enforced disappearances and has provided non-judicial measures aimed at rehabilitation and reconciliation for victims and their families toward accountability and restorative justice.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We take note of the report of the Working Group. In Belarus, abduction of people followed by their disappearance is defined as a crime against human security and is criminalized in the Criminal Code. The law enforcement devotes priority attention to investigating such allegations. We categorically reject the baseless statement by the working group with respect to the situation with violent disappearance in Belarus. and caution against the practice of sending requests to states without due verification of the sources of such and content of such information. Outrageous accusations against Belarus of apparently instrumental in migration is alive. The situation on the border with our EU is due to the EU's unwillingness to cooperate, which they've substituted They have placed pointless fences. Current EU legislation runs counter to international commitments and creates a risk of forced disappearance. An analysis of the group report highlights a troubling trend of conveying politically motivated allegations that are unrelated to the group's mandate. That is a source of major concern when it comes to complying with the requirements for objectivity of international experts. We once again, we urge the group to abide by the code's principles of work and display due care and attention in their work. Thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Gambia.

Mr. President, the Gambia thanks the working group for its comprehensive report and we align ourselves with the statement delivered by the African group. We take note of the need to strengthen prevention, protection and support for victims and their families to advance truth and accountability as a guarantee of non-recurrence. The Gambia has actively engaged these teams in our transitional justice programming. In this regard, The Gambia submitted and had its initial State report reviewed by the Committee on Enforced Disappearance in March 2025. We welcome the constructive engagement and recommendations made by the Committee and are committed to translating them into action. Through the work of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission and the National Human Rights Commission, we have also strengthened legal safeguards against arbitrary detention and disappearance and memorialization for victims. In addition, The Gambia, in cooperation with ECOWAS, is in the process of establishing a special accountability mechanism, which is set to play a central role in ensuring accountability for past violations and providing much needed closure for victims and their families. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand.

Madam Vice President, Thailand thanks the Working Group for the report and reiterates our support for its mandate. We are also pleased to host the Working Group meeting in Bangkok this year. We share the working group's view that strengthening the legal infrastructure is essential to protect all persons from enforced disappearance, to ensure prompt search and investigation, and to provide support and redress the victims and their families. We also echo the working group's concern over the large number of enforced disappearances in armed conflict. These remind us of the pressing obligations of states to search for the missing, investigate and establish unreported deaths, and keep reliable records, including combatants disappeared during the conflict, and communicate this information without delay to their families. These obligations also are anchored in ICPRD, particularly Article 24, on the right of the families of disappeared combatants to know the truth about their loved These measures are fundamental to safeguarding dignity, respect, and accountability. On our part, the 2023 Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance has been strengthened, particularly through the establishment of the Fund for Family Victims, rehabilitation measures, and guideline to promote understanding of the act. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Egypt welcomes the working group and takes note of its report submitted to the Council. We wish to emphasize the importance of the working group's mandate and role. And we welcome the meeting held between representatives from the Egyptian Government and the Working Group at the end of January 2025, which confirms the Egyptian Government's commitment to constructive interaction and enhanced communication with the Working Group. The Government of Egypt reiterates its commitment to constructive and serious cooperation with the Working Group and provides it with responses to communications. We would like here to highlight that there are instances of misuse of the Working Group's mandate by some parties for political purposes. by pushing unfounded allegations of disappearances, which have been proven to be either of individuals who have never been arrested or others who have been detained pending criminal proceedings and are currently on trial. The purpose of such misuse is to inflate the working group's list of cases concerning Egypt. We call on the working group to continue to verify the credibility of the allegations they receive and their consistency with the mandate, and we encourage the working group to continue to review pending cases that have been pending for a long time and for which updated information is unavailable. We look forward to continuing constructive interaction and dialogue with the working group within the framework of its mandate. Thank you, Vice President. Now.

To the distinguished representative of Turkey.

Mr. President, the issue of missing persons in Cyprus is a humanitarian tragedy affecting both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. It should be recalled that Turkish Cypriots have been affected since 1963, when hundreds were taken from their workplaces, homes, or roads, never to be seen again. Thus, a substantial number went missing well before 1974. With regard to the Committee on Missing Persons, CMP, concrete investigations and responses have regrettably remained insufficient. On the report before us, the assertion that the buffer zone is under the jurisdiction of the Greek Cypriot side is inaccurate and should be corrected. Allegations in the report concerning the CMP's effectiveness and related investigations are inconsistent with the record. Turkish Cypriot authorities have provided archival information to support the CNP, facilitated excavations in both civilian and military areas, and established a missing persons unit, which also addresses Greek Cypriot cases. It must be underlined that the relevant parties are the two sides on the island. Recommendations should therefore be directed accordingly. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Japan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Enforced disappearance is a universal and grave human rights issue that occurs all around the world. Japan expresses its sincere respect to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, WGED, for its continued engagement to resolve this issue. The abduction of Japanese nationals by the DPRK is a serious issue as it affects our national sovereignty and the lives and safety of our people. The families of victims of the abductions are now well advanced in age, making this a time-sensitive humanitarian issue that cannot be ignored. When we consider the tremendous suffering that the victims and their families have endured over the years, there is no time to waste. The DPRK, however, has not provided any substantive response to the request from the working group to clarify the whereabouts of the Japanese abductees, which is extremely regrettable. Japan strongly urged North Korea to immediately return all abductees. Without beauty, realizing the abductees immediately return, we will continue to maintain close communication with the WGIG. In addition to Japan's own efforts, The understanding and the cooperation of the international community are indispensable to resolve the abduction issue. I thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Democratic Republic of People's Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Our delegation categorically rejects statistical data-related complaints identified in the reports of the Enforced Disappearances Working Group. and allegations by Japan labeling it as politically motivated propaganda based on unfounded fabrications. As we have already made clear, the statistical data in the report are consistently fabricated by hostile forces who fundamentally reject our system. Most of the complaints rely on unverified and unconfirmed testimonies. and speculation, and even the names of the missing persons are not accurately recorded. This is a clearly deliberate act of political provocation by hostile forces aimed at tarnishing our nation's dignified image and misleading international perception of us. We strongly urge the working group to conduct its work in a fair and objective manner And Japan to take concrete measures to hold state responsibility through sincere apology and legal reparation for heinous war crime against humanity.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you.

Vice-President. France reiterates that enforced disappearance is a grave violation of human rights and can in some cases constitute a crime against humanity. It continues to be used by authoritarian regimes to suppress civil society and human rights defenders, including those committed to environmental issues as well as by belligerence in situations of conflict, as Ukraine has just recalled in the case of the Russian aggression. Between May 2024 and May 2025, the group brought to the attention of states 1,278 cases and elucidated 233. These figures illustrate the importance, the tangible importance, of his work to the victims of enforced or involuntary disappearance and their loved ones. France reaffirms its unswerving commitment to combating these practices in the quest for truth, justice and reparation for the victims and their families. An illustration of this commitment and of its support to the work of the working group, France contributed to the thematic study of the working group on recourse to universal criminal jurisdiction in the case of enforced disappearance. Following the first world congress on enforced disappearance in January 2025, we encourage all actors to maintain the impetus launched back then in implementing phase two of the action plan developed by the initiative for the convention against enforced disappearance. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.

Madam Vice-President, Ghana aligns with the African Group statements and thanks the working group for its report. We share the profound concern over the nearly 50,000 unresolved global cases of enforced or involuntary disappearance.

My delegation's commitment against acts of enforced disappearances is anchored in Article 14 of our 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty and provides robust safeguards against enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention. The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice is empowered to investigate complaints and provide recourse to victims. Acknowledging the need for a specific legal framework, Ghana is actively considering steps to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to explicitly criminalize this unacceptable.

Act as an autonomous offense in our national law.

Madam Vice President, we reiterate the importance of international cooperation and justice in curbing this dreadful act. Ghana remains firmly committed to upholding its human rights obligation and to constructively engage with all UN mechanisms to eradicate and force disappearance.

I thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. We take note of the Working Group's report. Pakistan has consistently engaged with the Working Group in a constructive manner. Our constitution clearly stipulates that no one shall be deprived of liberty save in accordance with the law. The National Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances provides a legal platform for families of alleged disappeared persons to submit complaints. The Commission holds full authority to summon law enforcement officials and continues to collaborate with the working group on outstanding matters. In addition, the superior judiciary is fully empowered to address enforced disappearances with support from independent media and a vibrant civil society. It is important to note that many reported cases include voluntary disappearances, false allegations, or preventive retentions under domestic law. We also wish to draw attention to the deteriorating situation in the UN-recognized occupied territories, where enforced disappearances and serious human rights violations have intensified in recent years. In particular, the alarming situation in occupied Palestine merits sharpened focus by the Working Group. Madam Vice-President, we emphasize the necessity for all SPMHs to carefully verify the reliability and accuracy of information received and focus their observations within their area of expertise. Human rights mechanisms are most effective when founded on objectivity. We remain committed to our continued constructive dialogue.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay.

Thank you, Vice-President. Uruguay is grateful to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances for introducing its report, while renewing its support to the humanitarian work carried out by the experts and in providing support to victims and family members. We are grateful for the technical assistance and cooperation provided to States in clarifying cases of enforced disappearance and ensuring non-repetition. Uruguay reiterates its firm commitment to the right to truth, justice, memory, reparation and guarantees of non-repetition, in spite of the difficulties that its scope involves. The recent participation in the first world congress on enforced disappearance, held in Geneva in January 2025, and the commitments assumed by our country are a sign of this. We are grateful to the working group for its study into the application of universal criminal jurisdiction in cases of enforced the analysis of its importance in promoting accountability for crimes that are criminalised in international law and in providing a victim-centred response, as well as its recommendations, which we will analyse in detail. Finally, we want to stress the importance of states co-operating with the working group, in particular when it comes to requests for visits, so that the group can fully discharge its mandate.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Poland.

Madam President, Poland aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. We thank the working group for its comprehensive report. Enforced or involuntary disappearances are not only a deplorable practice, but also a clear breach of international law. And as such, they need to be condemned and documented with a view of ensuring accountability, regardless if the perpetrators are state or non-state actors. The regular reports of the working groups are an important element of the fight against impunity, providing us with crucial information about the scale of this practice, methods used, and most importantly, the victims. The systematic use of enforced disappearances by the Russian Federation in the illegally occupied territories of Ukraine, along with arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and torture, deserves a particularly strong condemnation. We find this deliberate practice a blatant violation of human rights of the persons subjected to this attack against civilians and the horrific mistreatment of their families. Madam President, Poland calls on all States to cooperate with the Working Group and to support every effort to ensure accountability for these international crimes. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain.

Thank you very much, Madam Vice-President. Spain endorses the statement delivered by the European Union. Firstly, we'd like to thank the working group for its activity report. The work of the working group since 1980 has been absolutely vital. We really appreciate the Working Group's contributions to the First World Congress on enforced disappearance earlier this year, with a large participation from civil society and victims that shared their experiences and recommendations. This year's report from the Working Group is particularly poignant for the families of persons disappeared in Gaza. They haven't been able to report cases because they've been fleeing violence. So you join the voice of various council mechanisms in calling for the violations of international humanitarian law and international law being committed in the territory to be properly documented. Spain welcomes the fact that the working group is going to study the issue of enforced disappearance and processes of memorialization from a victim-centered perspective during the course of next year. finding the truth and recognizing dignity are part of the same process. This morning, Spain, along with other countries, is sponsoring a side event on the importance of this forensic work. We must make sure that none of these people who are involved in searches are subject to threats.

Belgium.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Belgium reiterates its steadfast support to the working group. We call on all member states to fully cooperate with the working group. As in previous years, the working group has received a large number of reports of enforced disappearances. Nevertheless, there is under... reporting of disappearances because of a fear of reprisals. So the scope of this phenomenon might be much greater than official statistics would suggest. Enforced disappearance continues to be used as a tool of repression against dissidents and human rights defenders. We share the working group's concern about the hostile environment facing victims, lawyers, organizations and human rights defenders. They often face intimidation, obstruction and sometimes reprisals. It is absolutely vital that they be able to work for the benefit of liberty, freedom, justice and reparations. Belgium is perturbed by the transnational repression which is linked to enforced disappearance. Um, so that's why this scourge has to be considered to be a global issue, and what measures can be taken, Madam, uh, Chair Rapporteur, to tackle the worrying trend of transnational crime? national elements in enforced disappearance. Thank you.

Distinguished representative of Togo.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. My delegation would like to thank the Working Group for its report, which we are deeply pleased to hear about the meeting with the Working Group during the 133rd session in September 2024, with some really good exchanges between us and the Working Group. This shows that Togo remains fully committed to working closely with international mechanisms on enforced disappearances, particularly the Working Group and the Committee. We're pursuing our efforts to investigate disappearances working with concerned families and the national human rights institution, civil society. And we've also taken into consideration the recommendations of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and their implementation by the High Commission for Reconciliation and Strengthening National Unity. We're also criminalising enforced disappearances, working on prevention and awareness raising as well as capacity building. Thank you very much.

Thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this debate. We will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-government organizations. I give the floor to State of Palestine Independent Commission for Human Rights, intervention by video.

Mr. President, distinguished members of the working group. The Independent Commission for Human Rights welcomes the Working Group's report, which documents a sharp surge in Palestinian cases of enforced disappearance in 2003-2004 committed by the Israeli authorities and highlights Israel's persistent lack of cooperation with the mandate. Our records document over 11,200 disappeared persons, including more than 4,700 women and children. These practices are enabled by recent amendments to Israel's unlawful combatant law, permitting prolonged, uncommunicated detention without due process, measures expanded in 2003 and 2004. Lawyers and ICRC have repeatedly been denied access amid reports of torture, starvation, and denial of medical care. We therefore urge the Council to: Press Israel to disclose the fate, whereabouts, and the conditions of all detainees and restore unhindered ICRC access. Support an independent international investigation into mass arrests and enforced disappearance. Ensure immediate access to lawyers and humanitarian agencies and the release of all arbitrarily detained persons. Encourage a national mechanism to register and trace disappeared and advance accountability, including before the ICC. consistent with the ICJ provisional measures recognizing a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ukrainian Parliament Commission for Human Rights. Intervention by video.

Distinguished members of the working group, since 2014, Russia has been violating human rights in Ukraine. Systematic cases of enforced disappearances have been documented. Over 16,000 people are missing and unlawfully deprived of their liberty. Ukraine has verified 1,800 of these cases. Those abducted are held incommunicado, with their whereabouts concealed. Their basic rights are being violated. This constitutes a gross violation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. I urge the working group to insist that Russia investigate the enforced disappearances and report the results, develop clear mechanisms to obtain information on unlawfully detained Ukrainians, to ensure access for international monitors and the ICRC to all places of detention, establish a dedicated working group for this purpose, to promote the application of the principle of universal jurisdiction and the effective investigation of war crimes, to document Russia's IHL violations, highlight legal gaps in recommendations, and mobilize global pressure to free civilians. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. I give the floor to Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. I give the floor to Colombia, Defensoria del Pueblo, by video.

Enforced disappearance has been one of the most serious and persistent violations of human rights in Colombia. Search is undertaken primarily by women, as is recognized by the 2024 law on women's searchers. During their tireless efforts, they face stigma, poverty, health problems, revictimization and impunity. The State must guarantee that their rights be effective and acknowledge their role as peacebuilders and human rights defenders. That's why the Ombudsman's Office's Colombia has designed and implemented A holistic road map for guiding and supporting the families of disappeared persons. order to provide them with clear and timely information about their rights and how to access justice. In Colombia, investigating and social protests have changed lives. The case of Omayra Montoya and the White Carnations March in 1983 were the start of the fight which paved the way for disappearance to be criminalized, the Victim Reparation Act and the creation of the Holistic System for Peace. Today, we honor the memory of women like Fabiola Lalinde and Yanet Bautista, whose struggle led to the criminalisation of this offence, the establishment of the Commission for Searching for Disappeared Persons, the genetic database, and the Unit for Searching for Disappeared Persons. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission by video.

Distinguished President, members of the Human Rights Council, and working group members. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission takes note of the report of the working group detailing its activities over the last year. We continue to investigate, document, and report serious human rights violations, including incidents of enforced disappearance, armed conflict, violence, and insecurity in some parts of Ethiopia have made people vulnerable to violations. We welcome the adoption of a comprehensive national transitional justice policy aimed at accountability, ascertaining the truth, redress for victims, reconciliation, and healing. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission supports measures aimed at ensuring accountability for grave human rights violations, particularly for crimes of enforced disappearance. Both the Ethiopian Constitution and the Criminal Code do not explicitly define or criminalize enforced disappearances as a distinct offense. The absence of a specific provision limits the ability to guarantee comprehensive legal protection and accountability. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission recommends the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the joint statement by families of victims of involuntary disappearance.

Honorable Chair, I speak on behalf of 18 organizations.

Enforced disappearance remains to be a very urgent issue in the Philippines.

The families of victims of involuntary disappearance has on record 54 cases.

Under the current administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. More than a.

Decade since the enactment of the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act, implementation remains grossly inadequate. Families continue to experience obstruction, harassment, and denial of information in their search for truth and justice. The state does not investigate cases with extraordinary diligence mandated by law. Perpetrators remain shielded and the disappeared remain unaccounted for. Cases under Marcos Jr. are mostly directed towards activists such as indigenous rights defenders Dexter Capuyan and Bazu de Jesus in April 2023 and James Asminas and Felix Alaveria Jr. in August 2024. Despite mounting cases, there is no acknowledgment from the head of state. Legal victories such as the granting of the writs of amparo and habeas data have provided some recognition of risk but have not yet delivered accountability or led to the surfacing of the disappeared. Justice therefore remains elusive. We urge the Council to call on the Philippine government to ensure full and effective implementation of the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act, ratify the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, guarantee protection, support and meaningful participation of victims, families and all processes and end impunity by holding state agents accountable and ensuring justice to truth, justice and reparation. Families.

Not have to wait decades for answers.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to World Jewish Congress by video.

Mr. President, I speak on behalf of the World Jewish Congress. My name is Eli David, and I'm the older brother of the 24 years old, Evyatar David, who was kidnapped by the vicious organization Hamas on October the 7th, 2023 from the Nova Music Festival. Last month, Hamas published another video of my younger brother being emaciated, a human skeleton buried alive in the tunnels of Gaza. Aviatar was barely able to move, barely able to speak, because Hamas brought him to a near-death situation because of malnutrition. Hamas used my brother as a tool in their twisted and cruel propaganda, and he may die only because of that. The Red Cross has told us countless times that they can't do anything to reach the hostages because Hamas wouldn't allow it to happen. Right now, all the free world must unite to make sure that the humanitarian aid flows into Gaza will reach the hostages as well. Right now, the free world must make sure that the living hostages in Gaza will survive negotiations. until we have a resolution. Thank you for listening on this matter.

Thank you. I give the floor to Peace Brigades International in person. Senior Vice President.

Madam Vice President. Janet Bautista, Colombian defender and women's searcher, passed away on 1 September. We honour her struggle and legacy, including the 2024 law on women's searchers, recognising the vital role that women play in searching for disappeared persons and the violence that they face. In her memory, we urge that the law be fully implemented, and we call on States to declare 23 October as the International Day of Women Searchers. We reiterate the need to verify the disappearance of Afro-descendant leaders Edison Valencia and Abencio Caicedo, which occurred in the Uromangui River in 2021. Mexico has over 125,000 disappeared persons, which has triggered article 24 of the Convention. One of the cases is that of Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz. Three years on from the order handed down by the Special Search Commission, there has been no progress in finding them. In Kenya, we reiterate the Working Group's calls on the government to ensure justice and accountability to the victims of disappearances in the context of peaceful protests. We're worried about the trends in Nicaragua against political opponents. At least 35 are still disappeared and others have been brought forward after having passed away. We call on the group and states to continue to call for information, and this is despite the fact that Nicaraguan state has failed to cooperate as yet. We urge all states to allow for country visits from the working group. Thank you.

Of Jewish lawyers and jurists by video.

My name is Liran Berman. Almost two years ago, my twin brothers, Gali and Ziv, were kidnapped from their bed by Hamas terrorists. Since then, our family has been living a nightmare. My parents' health deteriorates every day, and my life is on hold. I exist only as a brother of two hostages. On October 7th, Hamas showed its true face: a terrorist group that murders innocents, thrives on cruelty, and weaponizes hostages hostage-taking. Gal and Ziv were torn apart, held in darkness, denied food, medicine, and dignity. Each day in captivity robs them of health, hope, and humanity. Every day they survive is a miracle. I want them home so my mother can finally hug them, and they can hug our disabled father. Their return will restore the light that vanished with their abductions. The world has failed them for two birthdays. The international community must act now before it's too late. Use every tool, every form of pressure, every channel of diplomacy to demand their release. The lives of Gali and Ziv and the freedom of all hostages depend on it. Their release is not only a moral duty, it is a legal obligation and a test of this Council's responsibility to defend human rights in the face of terror. I am Liran Berman, their older brother, missing them every moment. Please, help me bring them back alive.

Thank you. I give the floor to World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations by video.

The working group for this report, the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations, is deeply concerned about the more than 2,700 outstanding cases and a backlog of more than 8,000 unreviewed cases that involve the Russian Federation under the working group's mandate. As confirmed by the Young Commission of Inquiry, within the context of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, forced disappearances are conducted by Russian authorities in a widespread and systematic manner against civilians, and these disappearances constitute crimes against humanity. Currently, in addition to thousands of Ukrainian military prisoners, Russia detains thousands of Ukrainian civilians. Many have been detained for years, among them journalists, social and political activists. The accounts of survivors and cases of deaths in custody, such as the tragic case of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roschina, have revealed the most brutal practices of torture and sexual violence inflicted on both male and female victims. The practice of forced disappearances and arbitrary detention of civilians is in grave violation of international law. It is torture, ill treatment, re-education, and unlawful transfer of Ukrainian civilians into the territory of the Russian Federation. And it must stop. The lack of cooperation by the Russian Federation of the minds, the working group's mission to assist families in determining the fate of their disappeared family members. We urge that efforts to ensure communication with Russian authorities intensify, to ensure visits to occupied territories and places of detention, to obtain information on the whereabouts of those forcibly disappeared, and to secure the immediate release of Ukrainian civilians unlawfully detained.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Women Human Rights International Association.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

We are alarmed by the escalating.

Wave of political executions and enforced disappearances in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which reflect a dangerous resurgence of patterns seen in the 1988 massacres. Political prisoners continue to be executed in secret, denied due process, and forcibly disappeared. The whereabouts of many detained protesters and activists remain unknown, placing them at serious risk?

These acts violate international human rights law and amount to ongoing crimes against humanity.

The recent Fox News editorial titled "Why the 1988 Execution Should Be Repeated" openly praised mass killing and incited violence against current detainees. This rhetoric, published by a state-run outlet, constitutes incitement to atrocity crimes and must be publicly condemned. We urge the Working Group and Member States to investigate incitement in state media, demand transparency on the fate of disappeared persons, and support the establishment of an international accountability mechanism. The silence of 1988 must not be repeated. The responsibility to prevent further.

Rest with this Council.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the joint statement by Association Mauna for Human Rights and Immigration.

Thank you. We share the concerns of the Working Group regarding the situation of enforced disappearances in Yemen. Under de facto Houthi control, persistent patterns of impunity prevail, marked by the institutionalized and systematic use of arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearance. The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms reports that 2,678 Yemenis went missing between January 2018 and April 2025 in Houthi-controlled areas, most of whom are considered to be victims of enforced disappearance. On August 30, 2025, while the international community was commemorating the victims of enforced disappearances, 13 affiliated members of a Yemeni political group, the General People's Congress, were abducted by the Houthis. Their whereabouts remain unknown. For years now, many journalists and human rights defenders have been victims of enforced disappearance, abducted by the Houthis. It is well documented by the UN that children are subject to abduction and coercion, forced to become soldiers fighting under the Houthis' war against the Yemeni people. Children are taught to hold weapons when they should be holding their mother's hands. There are widespread concerns in Yemen regarding the enforced disappearances of many of these children. As such, we call on the Working Group, as well as all UN concerned bodies, to act in establishing effective searches of those who have disappeared in Yemen and to enact preventative legal mechanisms. We encourage the Working Group to continue its meaningful work in monitoring the neglect of human rights in Yemen. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Women's Network for Change by video.

Dear President, In the summer of 1988, Iran executed over 30,000 political prisoners, burying them in secret mass graves. For 37 years, no one has been held accountable, and authorities continue to conceal the victims' fates. We are deeply concerned for the thousands of prisoners in Iran. who may also face extrajudicial executions without international action. A July 2025 editorial by Fox News referred to the 1988 executions as a successful historical experience and called for their recurrence. As noted by the then Special Reporter on Iran in 2024, These executions may constitute crimes against humanity or genocide. We urge the Council to recognize this massacre as a part of ongoing state violence and impunity, and call for an independent international investigation into these crimes to support survivors in their fight for justice. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to European Union of Jewish Students.

Dear Madam Vice President, there are images that humanity should never have to see. One of them is the recent video of Eviatar David, an Israeli hostage in Gaza, gaunt, reduced to shadows, compelled to dig his own grave. This is not only an act of cruelty; it is the very embodiment of enforced disappearance. Erasing a human being from the community of the living, suspending them between life and death, the hostages in Gaza are not statistics, nor abstractions.

They are human beings, stripped of liberty, of light, of identity itself.

Their families remain trapped in silence, unable to speak, unable to grieve, unable to find peace.

We therefore draw your

urgent attention to the cause of the hostages abducted from Israel on October 7, 2023, and still held captive by Hamas in Gaza today. The mandate of this working group is clear: enforced disappearances is the deprivation of liberty and the concealment of fate. By this definition, the hostages' suffering is not only a humanitarian tragedy; it is a violation of international law. We urge the UN Human Rights Council to act now. No war, no politics can ever justify forced disappearances. And love without courage is only paper. Let us ensure that those silenced are not forgotten and that their families are not left in endless darkness. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Oida Ko by video.

We make this statement in memory of Yanet Bautista in Colombia. Enforced disappearance affects 10s of thousands of families, particularly women searchers who continue to be denied truth and the possibility of mourning. We welcome the visit and report of the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances. which was carried out at the end of 2024 to Colombia, which confirmed the persistence of the phenomenon and the need for a comprehensive response from the state. According to the search unit for persons who have disappeared, at August 26, 2025, 132,877 persons have been disappeared in the context of the conflict. We call on the Council and Member States to urge Colombia to fully implement Law 2364 so as to guarantee the recognition of women searchers with safety and economic support. We request that the search unit and forensic capacity be strengthened and sustainably funded. We emphasize the importance of ensuring that search, prevention and investigation policies are carried out with territorial, ethnic and gender perspectives. We call for humanitarian agreements with all armed actors to allow for safe searches and access to information. It's also necessary to address the specific needs generated by disappearances in the context of migration. Finally, it's vital to investigate and sanction, punish those responsible, including command structures, in order to guarantee non-repetition. Thank you very much.

Thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this debate. I now give the floor to Ms. Gabriella Citrini for her concluding remarks. You have the floor, Ms. Citrini. You have eight and a half minutes.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Madam Vice President, and thank you all for your interventions starting yesterday and continuing today. I think that these interventions highlight something that I -- a point I tried to make yesterday in my intervention, the importance of dialogue. the importance of exchanging, having the chance to frankly express ourselves. And I also reconfirm that we are pursuing the same aim. We are pursuing the aim of delivering truth, justice, and memory to those disappeared. Therefore, I encourage all states to pursue this dialogue, not only in this room, but also afterwards. We took note of some of the concerns that have been expressed, and I wish to reassure you, we have no political agenda, we know the code of conduct, we abide by the code of conduct, we act in good faith, and we pursue the same aim, that is to establish the fate and whereabouts of those disappeared. So for those states that have certain concerns, I invite them to engage with us even outside this room and answer to our request for information, we are sure that together we can clarify the misunderstandings or we can provide answers to families. In particular, to Venezuela and Belarus, I'm happy that I had the chance to hear from you today, and I hope I will hear from you also after this dialogue, because we have been trying to engage with you, but unfortunately without any response. To other states that expressed concerns, with regard to our engagement or to our allegations. We have been in contact with those states, and I would like to acknowledge this. It has been important. In some cases, there have been misspelling of names, misunderstandings, and that was easily clarified, which reaffirms the fact that if we work together, we can find the responses we are after. Unfortunately, this dialogue also confirmed that enforced disappearance remains a global concern that is ongoing, that is not a phenomenon from the past, and that occurs, continues occurring in certain countries on a massive scale, to the extent that it can be considered, as I pointed out in my intervention yesterday and as it was reconfirmed in some of the interventions today, as a crime against humanity or as genocide. In this regard, I particularly appreciate certain questions that I received in terms of how we can prevent this practice from occurring, early warning mechanisms. So in response to the question posed by Australia on behalf of a group of states in terms of early warning and prevention, I would first of all highlight the importance of codifying enforced disappearance as a standalone crime. This has a deterrent effect. This, as we will see in a second, also enables accountability. Therefore, I would like to commend, uh, countries that have codified enforced disappearance as a standalone crime. I would mention among those who took the floor, Thailand, Lithuania, Burkina Faso, and Costa Rica. Um, and I am particularly pleased to hear that Ghana is in the process of adopting, uh, or codifying enforced disappearance as a standalone crime. In this regard, I would express the working group availability to provide technical cooperation and assist in illustrating good practices and in accompanying this important step. Early warning mechanisms, preventive measures really revolve around the guarantees provided to persons deprived of their liberty. There are very concrete measures to be undertaken from early registration, maintenance of records, updated records that are accessible from the outside, and therefore also the possibility to have access to information from the outside. This, in the context of migration, is extremely important and has certain specific features. I would also include in preventive measures and early warning mechanisms something that was highlighted in a number of interventions, that is, strengthened cooperation. And I would mention that cooperation should, uh, meet two ends. On the one end is mutual legal assistance and the legal cooperation, and this goes in answer also to something that Croatia requested. Uh, the strengthening of that kind of cooperation is crucial. And on the other hand, cooperation to provide support to families. I would also underline that in certain specific circumstances, other subjects other than states should cooperate. And I would refer to what we mentioned in the report we presented this year on the enforced disappearance of defenders of land, natural resources, and environment. Therefore, I refer to the fact that enterprises, business enterprises, and financial institutions also should be part of the cooperation and apply due diligence. I take note, and I particularly thank for the attention shown and the interest shown in the thematic report by the European Union, the African group, Ghana, Benin, for this report on the enforced disappearance of defenders in the context of defense of land, sorry, natural resources and environment. In this regard, I would point out that Monday, the 22nd of September at 3:00 p.m. in room nine, that is just next to this room, we will have a side event to present the report. In that regard, we will have the opportunity to also at length illustrate our findings and recommendations. I would add in answer to the question on how to prevent or other two pillars of what is important to fight against enforced disappearance, the importance of search, search for disappeared persons, and early mechanisms to find those who have disappeared, hopefully alive and without having to wait as it was pointed out in one of the latest interventions for years. In this regard, the working group has provided and will continue providing technical cooperation. We have done so to Chile, with Chile, the search unit in Colombia, and in Peru. We stand ready to provide this kind of cooperation also to other countries. With regard to accountability, I would answer to Norway that some of the answers on how to promote accountability can be found in the study we presented on the use of universal criminal jurisdiction, but nevertheless, I would in particular underscore the importance of strengthening the legal framework, establishing specialized units, because enforced disappearance is a particularly complex crime, training the personnel, and ensuring the participation of victims. This is equally crucial, in answer to Belgium, to fight against the phenomenon of transnational repression. finally I would like to mention that the working group joins other mandate holders in denouncing the US government sanctions on the special rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territory we express our full solidarity with Francesca Albanese sanctioning a special rapporteur appointed by the Human Rights Council violates international law and is a direct attack on the Integrity of the UN human rights system including special procedures as a whole we call on all states to act decisively to denounce these sanctions and refuse to carry them out we also call on the United the United States of America to immediately withdraw these illegal sanctions. Thank you very much.

Thank you. This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue. I wish to thank Ms. Gabriella Citrini for her participation. We will take a break, short break, before holding the interactive dialogue, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, we will now begin the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. I will now give the floor to Ms. Ganna Yurkivska, the chair rapporteur, to present the report. You have 17 minutes.

Thank you. Madam Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and representatives of the civil society, it's my honor to address the Human Rights Council and to present a report on the activities of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for 2024. Behind every case In our files, it is a person whose freedom was taken unlawfully, a life interrupted, a family torn apart by executive power, arbitrary exercise of power. I come before you today with both profound concern and cautious hope. Concern because arbitrary detention continues to plague our world, and 149 individuals across 41 countries who received our opinions in 2024 represent merely the tip of an iceberg of injustice. But also hope because this Council's unwavering support has transformed our mandate into a mechanism that actually changes lives and delivers results. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is a unique special procedure mandate. It's a lifeline. When we commemorated our 100th session last year, four more detainees spoke in this very building, living proof that your commitment to this mandate saves lives. In 2024, 45 individuals walked free because this working group exists, because this council believes in justice, and because the international community refused to let them be forgotten. From 16 releases in 2021 to 45 in 2024, those numbers tell a story of growing impact of a mandate that has found its strengths and purpose. Madam Vice President, looking to the specifics of the year 2024, the Working Group adopted a total of 71 opinions concerning, as I have just mentioned, the detention of 149 persons in 41 countries. It transmitted 30 appeals to 16 governments and 102 letters to 52 governments concerning at least 556 individuals. Some states informed the working group that they had remedied the situation of arbitrarily detained individuals, and we continue to learn about further releases in 2025. We extend our gratitude to those governments that release detainees subject to our opinions and urge for full implementation of the opinions. Madam Vice-President, The Working Group continues to deliver results despite significant obstacles. While we maintain our efficiency in processing cases, a troubling pattern persists. Nearly six out of ten States do not respond to our communications. This 58% of silence rate in 2024 shows states are failing their most basic obligation to engage with this Council's mechanisms. However, we see progress in what matters most, implementation. Follow-up information reached 85% in 2024, up from 79% the previous year, proving that when states engage, real changes happen. Most gravely, however, we continue to receive reports of reprisals and intimidation against those seeking our help or providing information to us. This is unacceptable. We remind all states of their obligations under Human Rights Council resolutions to protect, not punish, those who cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms. We first call on all states, respond to our communications. Your silence prolongs suffering. Your engagement saves lives. Madam Vice President, on the matter issue, we examined alternatives to pretrial detention, a critical area where theory and practice often diverge tragically. Too many people sit in cells today because they cannot pay their bail. Across jurisdictions, bail systems have become instruments of arbitrary detention in disguise. When bail amounts are punitive or deliberately excessive, they turn presumption of innocence into a privilege for sale. This perverts the very purpose of bail. The working group emphasizes three fundamental principles. First, pretrial detention must remain exceptional, not rule. Second, alternatives must be practical and proportionate. When bail conditions become impossible to fulfill, they simply replace one form of arbitrary detention with another. Third, bail amounts must reflect individuals' real financial circumstances and not offense severity. Madam Vice-President, the working group visited Canada in May 2024. It went to seven federal, six provincial, two municipal, and two Indigenous facilities and confidentially interviewed 103 persons deprived of their liberty. We express appreciation to the federal and provincial governments for the cooperation to the delegation received the country visit. Positive changes are being made across Canada in relation to the deprivation of liberty. Those include mainly lawful arrest procedure without excessive force, significant decrease in both overall and youth incarceration rate, reforms that prioritize alternatives to detention, more restorative justice mechanism and community programs. ladder principle regarding pretrial detention and less reliance on cash bail, legal aid and culturally appropriate rehabilitation programs for Indigenous offenders. However, the working group also observed several challenges within the criminal justice system, namely bail systems, problems affecting marginalized communities, police interrogation without a lawyer, practices in the plea bargaining system that raise significant ethical and legal concerns, weak community support for supervision and reintegration, detention conditions in correction facilities that often fail to meet international standards, overrepresentation of Indigenous people and people of African descent in the criminal justice system, and adult sentences imposed on youth. In the context of health care, the working group observed some challenges, including de facto indefinite detention of persons with psychosocial disabilities and increasing proposals for involuntary drug treatment. Lastly, in the context of migration, we observed the lack of a maximum detention period, prison-like detention conditions, and limited access to legal aid. We reiterate our appreciation to the government of Canada for the invitation and for the cooperation throughout. We intend to continue constructive dialogue with the government on those issues. Madam Vice President. cases pile up faster than we can process them. UN budget constraints limit our capacity when demand for justice grows daily. Yet we continue, because we must, because every day of delay means another night in an unjust cell. Your support is not just appreciated, it's essential. Without adequate resources, we cannot deliver justice this mandate promises. Madam Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and representatives of the civil society, the moment has come to move beyond words. We call on all governments take further steps necessary to remedy the situation of all individuals deprived of liberty without delay. As Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, powerful Putin, action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all. The world is watching. History will judge us not the resolution we pass, but by prison doors we open to those who should not be there. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. In accordance with our practice, we will now hear from the delegation of the country concerned. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada. You have five minutes.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Canada thanks the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for presenting the report and for your constructive engagement with officials throughout your visit to Canada in 2024. It is our position that active and meaningful engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms is critical to progress. It is engagement such as this that encourages reflection and improvement in a country's human rights record. Our government has reviewed the report thoroughly and takes this opportunity to respond to some of the findings in the report. Firstly, allow me to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that Canada's laws, policies, and practices align with international human rights standards. The report underscores both progress and continued challenges in the protection of liberty, noting positive developments such as declining incarceration rates, the use of non-custodial alternatives, and culturally appropriate rehabilitation programs. The report addresses issues related to Canada's justice in immigration systems, particularly pertaining to bail, pleas, detention conditions, and the treatment of marginalized and racialized groups. It calls for reforms to reduce arbitrary detention, improve legal safeguards and detention conditions, address systemic discrimination, and enhance community-based supports and oversight mechanisms. Canada is committed to addressing concerns related to arbitrary detention through a range of legislative, policy, and programmatic measures. These include improvements to bail practices, the expansion of restorative justice processes and diversion programs, legal aid, and support for culturally appropriate rehabilitation options. A comprehensive response to these issues is demonstrated by the Province of Ontario's introduction of holistic justice centres, combining criminal court proceedings with needs-based integrated services designed to increase community safety and address mental health, education, employment, and other social determinants of health. I will conclude my statement in French. The.

Working group report also draws attention to underrepresentation of indigenous peoples, peoples of African descent, in the criminal justice system. Canada recognises that reality, which is regrettable, and recognises that to remedy those inequalities, sustained or coordinated action is needed at all levels of government, in partnership, of course, with the communities concerned. In response, Canada has taken measures to meet those challenges with the purpose of reducing over-concentration by addressing systemic discrimination, by expanding access to culturally adapted programs, and supporting community-based solutions to incarceration. This includes correctional programs for Indigenous peoples as well as a justice strategy for Black people with a view to responding to lived experiences and the unique obstacles facing Black people who have been condemned at federal level. Progress has been made in developing and implementing indigenous justice strategy, strategies for black people in Canada, and we are firmly committed to pursuing that work guided by principles of equity, reconciliation, and respect for human rights. Provincial governments have also implemented various initiatives to foster better outcomes for persons in prison. For example, Alberta has opened therapeutic life units in a number of correctional centres to break the cycle of dependence, criminality and contact with the criminal justice system, and to help people in prison to lead a productive life following their release. Those units give prisoners structured treatment based on database by ensuring planification for release and transition to ensure ongoing, uh, rehabilitation and release. Significant progress has been achieved, but there is still a long way to go. Canada continues to consider the conclusions of the working Group on Arbitrary Detentions report. We're grateful once more to the working group for its contribution, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation with them. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. You have three minutes.

The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions is pleased to deliver a statement on behalf of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canada's A-status National Human Rights Institution. The Commission thanks the Working Group for their visit to Canada and their related report. We appreciate the recommendations made by the Working Group to improve the situation of those deprived of liberty, including calling on Canada to ratify the Optional Protocol on the Convention against Torture. While all of these issues raised by the Working Group are important, the Commission wishes to highlight three areas of ongoing concern. First is the over-incarceration of certain segments of the population. Across Canada, concerns continue to be raised by Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities that racial profiling and over-surveillance by police, security agencies, and other security figures is a daily reality, reducing public trust and perpetrating harmful impacts in these communities. Of further concern is an increasing number of reports of injurious and deadly interactions between police, Indigenous, Black, and other racialized individuals, often with mental health disability. The second issue is the alarming allegation of coercion, violence, bullying, and harassment in Canada's prison. This includes by all other prisoners and by staff, and is an issue of particular concern for women, as well as trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse prisoners. Prisoners may not report incidents of sexual coercion and violence due to a fear of reprisal, highlighting the need for the system for effective reporting and accountability measures. The final issue the Commission would like to highlight is the broader issue of institutionalization of the people with disability. Many people with disability in Canada are forced to live in institutions because they can't access the important services, they need to be able to live independently and with dignity in their community. As a result, many people with disabilities, including young people, continue to live in inappropriate facilities such as hospitals, long-term care facilities and group homes, where there are continued gaps in monitoring and oversight. This is why the Commission continues to call on Canada to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture without delay, including by designing an appropriate national preventive mechanism to ensure ongoing and enhance independent oversight, monitoring, and reporting in all places of detention. Doing so would offer more consistent and proactive human right protection for people who are deprived of liberty across Canada. The commission continues to offer its support and collaboration on this important human rights issue to ensure that all people in Canada can live a life with dignity, equality, and respect. I thank you.

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. I now invite interested delegations to ask questions and to make comments on the report. The speaking time is one minute, 30 seconds for all. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iceland on behalf of a group of countries.

Madam Vice President, I have the honour to deliver the statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic states.

We thank the Working Group for its latest report and acknowledge its critical mandate and determined efforts toward addressing the serious issue of arbitrary detention. The practice of arbitrary.

Detention is contrary to international human rights law and gravely undermines the right to life, liberty and security.

We reiterate our support for the High Commissioner and the Working Group's call to bring this practice to an end, once and for all, and to provide effective remedies and reparations for victims and survivors. We appreciate the engagement of governments that cooperate constructively with the mandate of the Working Group. At the same time, we strongly condemn the use of arbitrary detention as a tool against those exercising their rights, as well as reprisals against individuals who engage with the United Nations. Due process must always be guaranteed, and any restriction of liberty must be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and justified. Furthermore, we echo the working group's call on states to ensure that practical, proportionate, and non-discriminatory alternatives to pretrial detention, particularly.

Non-financial ones, are made available.

In conclusion, what can states do in support of your mandate to help end the practice of arbitrary detention? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belgium on behalf of a group of countries.

Madam Vice-President, I deliver this statement on behalf of the Benelux countries, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. We align ourselves with the EU statement, thank the working group for its report and reaffirm our strong support to its mandate. We are concerned by the lower response rate from states under the working group procedures. Against this trend, we call on all states to cooperate fully with the working group, respond comprehensively and timely to its communications, implement its opinions, respond positively to its request for country visits, and ensure it is provided with adequate and sustainable resources. As pointed out in the report, reprisals and intimidation suffered by individuals involved with the Working Group are entirely unacceptable. The Benelux recalls the importance of the cooperation of civil society organizations and human rights defenders with the UN mechanisms in the fields of human rights and condemns such practices. We urge all States to stop this immediately, protect potential victims and hold those responsible to account. Madame Chair Rapporteur, in your report you rightly reaffirm the principle that pre-trial detention should be the exception and not the rule. What are the most pressing steps States should take to reduce pre-trial detention and provide practical, proportional and non-discriminatory alternatives to detention? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of European Union.

Madam Vice President, Chair of the Working Group, the EU thanks you for your presentation and report. We appreciate your constant efforts which have contributed to the release of 45 people who were contained in your opinions. This is the third year running that your results have improved. This reflects the efficiency of your mandate and the EU reiterates its support for the mandate. 71 opinions issued by the working group last year once again reflect that arbitrary detention continues. The EU firmly condemns it. We express our concern at the fact that your request for information and communications to don't warrant many responses. We urge all States to cooperate closely and sincerely with the working group and to ensure the follow-up and implementation of all your opinions. We support the report's recommendations about alternatives to pre-trial detention, which are rational, proportionate, non-discriminatory. Madam chair of the working group, the EU joins your and the High Commissioner's call for the release of all persons which have been detained because they exercise their rights and that there be a stop to arbitrary detention. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Poland on behalf of a group of countries.

Madam Vice President, Madam Chair, Rapporteur, I had the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the Lublin Triangle States, Lithuania, Ukraine, and my own country, Poland. Please allow me to comment the working group for its indispensable engagement in the interest of persons deprived of their liberty without a lawful basis. We appreciate the latest report of the group, although we conclude with deep concern, the arbitrary detention is still being utilized by the governments as one of preferred tools of repression and intimidation. Our countries unequivocally condemn arbitrary detention anywhere in the world, in our immediate neighborhood. We deplore systematic practice of arrests on trumped-up charges in sham trials and imprisonment of dissidents in Belarus and Russian Federation, as well as detaining civilians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. We note that the vague and overly broad laws are often being used. to create a pretext for detainment, and we denounce mistreatment and torture of detainees. Madam Chair, Rapporteur, our countries firmly stand by the conviction that the right to personal liberty demands that no person should be subject to arbitrary detention. We welcome the release of 45 individuals subjected to the Group's opinions, and we call on all States to cooperate with the Group.

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana on behalf of a group of African countries.

Madam Vice-President, the African group commends the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for its present report, which examines the thematic issue of alternatives to pre-trial detention. Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights guarantees the right to liberty, security of a person, and prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has interpreted this to mean that pre-trial detention should be exceptional and should not be the norm. Further, the Guidelines on the Conditions of Arrest, Police Custody, and Pre-trial Detention in Africa, also known as the Luanda Guidelines 2014, call for periodic judicial review of continued pre-trial The Africa Group takes note of the call for States to continue their cooperation with the Working Group by responding to communications, reporting on the follow-up procedure on the implementation of the Working Group's opinions, including on the provisions of appropriate remedies and reparations to victims of arbitrary detention. We therefore urge continued efforts to strengthen justice systems to ensure compliance with human rights standards. Critical steps in reducing pretrial detention would include adopting alternatives to pretrial detention, such as police or court bail, conditional release, restriction of movements, and community supervision. Expanding access to legal aid and accelerating judicial processes would also go a long way to reduce prolonged pretrial detention. I thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria on behalf of a group of Arab states.

Foreign language Madam Vice President, we have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Arab Group. can't deal with this situation without referring at length to the situation in the Gaza Strip. The policy of systematic, arbitrary arrest and detention by Israel against human rights defenders, journalists, women and children has led to the administrative detention of thousands of Palestinians without any charges. there's no proof of commission of crimes. We have also seen thousands of arbitrary arrests in the West Bank. All of this proves that arbitrary detention is a systematic policy which is tantamount to a crime against humanity. The Arab Group invites the Working Group to be clearer and braver in its observations of the phenomenon in Palestine of arbitrary arrest and detention. Israel must be held accountable. Impunity only encourages further violations. The international community must shoulder its responsibilities to bring an end to this practice and ensure the protection of the rights of the Palestinian people.

State of Palestine.

Madam Vice President, we thank the working group for its report. For Palestinians, arbitrary detention is not an exception, it is a system, and it has escalated in recent days. In August alone, occupation forces arrested over 540 Palestinians in the West Bank, including children and women. In Tulkarem, mass raids and curfews resulted in large-scale arrests and forced marches to military checkpoints. In Gaza, healthcare workers and hospital staff continued to be targeted and arbitrarily detained. Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, former director of Kamal Edwan Hospital, remains arbitrarily detained in Ofer Prison since December 2024, facing ill treatment, denial of medical care, and torture. Thousands of Palestinians, including children, women, journalists, and human rights defenders, are held in administrative detention without charge or fair trial, often in secret grounds. This is not security; it is repression. We are also alarmed by reprisals against those who engage with the UN or document violations, as detainees and their families face intimidation, interrogation, and renewed detention. Madam Vice-President, we urge the Working Group to be more vocal and proactive on Palestine, highlight these mass detentions, demand the release of children and defenders, press for access to detention facilities, and follow up firmly on past opinions. Arbitrary detention as a tool of domination and suppression must end. Until every Palestinian held without charge is freed and accountability is achieved, there can be no rule of law, no justice, and no hope for peace. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. We thank the Working Group for the presentation of its report. We welcome the Opinion 46/2024 adopted by the Working Group, in which it concluded, in relation to one of the leaders of the former illegal regime installed in the then-occupied territories of Azerbaijan, that his deprivation of liberty was not arbitrary. The Working Group pointed out that notwithstanding the claims to the contrary, the individual in question was detained on the basis of criminal charges alleging serious threats to national security, public safety, and public order, including the financing of terrorism, the participation in the creation and operation of illegal armed groups, and illegal crossing of the state border. Moreover, the Working Group emphasized that, quote, "Through his actions, he is alleged to have contributed to violent raids by armed groups that resulted in numerous deaths, hundreds of injuries, and the destruction of vast amounts of property, including through rocket attacks and the laying of thousands of mines," end of quote. Thus, despite the attempts to undermine the ongoing lawful trials in Azerbaijan, the opinion of the Working Group reaffirmed. Azerbaijan's right to prosecute and punish individuals responsible for international crimes committed in its territory. We call on all third parties to be guided by the above-referred opinion of the working group. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. El Salvador has taken note of the working group's report. We reiterate our steadfast commitment to full and constructive cooperation with the Human Rights Council's special procedures. All joint communications that we have received have received a formal and transparent response. This reflects how seriously we take our international obligations. El Salvador remains ready for an open and respectful dialogue with the working group as part of mutual cooperation in full respect for our sovereignty. We think that cooperation is the most effective way of ensuring respect for human rights of all persons. Thank you very much, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tunisia.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Tunisia takes note of the report from the working group. We reiterate our commitment to protect everyone's human rights without any exception and to provide due process for all suspects in full respect for their dignity and rights. Detention is always legal and in line with applicable procedures, and this is overseen by the prosecution service. Prison sentences are based on decisions handed down by the competent and independent courts pursuant to the national constitution and laws. and also based on the principle of equality of all before the law, as well as in line with preventing impunity. Tunisia pursues constructive cooperation with the Working Group by regularly responding to its communications. Such communications must be neutral, objective and non-politicized, There must be no interference with our sovereignty. Article 35 of the Constitution concerns pre-trial detention, and so all court rulings must be respected.

Vice President, the Republic of Korea expresses its warm appreciation to the working group for its tireless work and valuable recommendations in its latest report and, in particular, reiterated the Working Group's call on all states to continue to enhance their cooperation regarding their response to communications and follow-up procedures. My government notes with keen interest the two opinions adopted by the Working Group concerning the DPRK in August and November 2024. The Working Group concluded that the deprivation of liberty of DPRK escapee Kim Chol-ho, as well as that of three Korean missionaries by the DPRK authorities was arbitrary. We wish to highlight the working group's view that the appropriate remedy would be the immediate release of the persons concerned. My delegation urges the DPRK to heed this recommendation and promptly release the detainees. emphasizing the need for dialogue to resolve humanitarian issues between the two Koreas, including the situation of the detained missionaries. We further call on the DPRK to sincerely engage with the UN human rights mechanisms, including this working group, to substantially enhance the human rights situation of its people. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia.

Madam Vice President, thank you. We take note of the report of the working group. Armenia supports the promotion of rights-based, proportionate and non-custodial measures that uphold due process and reduce unjust deprivation of liberty. Madam Vice President, the situation of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees remains a matter of deep humanitarian concern. We believe that their release would represent a vital confidence-building step. In the absence of independent humanitarian monitoring since the closure of the ICRC's operation, release gains even greater urgency. In the context of the agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations initialed on August 8 in Washington, D.C., the release of prisoners of war and other detainees should become an early and tangible outcome of the the peace process and post-conflict rehabilitation. This would not only resolve the most pressing humanitarian issue, but also strengthen trust between the sides. In this context, we wish to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the working group's assessments are not only comprehensive, credible, and impartial, but also acutely sensitive to context, especially in situations marked by ethnic and political complexities. Otherwise, they may undermine the integrity and effectiveness of the assessment process and create heightened risk for individuals in the situation of extreme vulnerability. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of United Republic of Tanzania.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. The United Republic of Tanzania aligns itself with the statement delivered by Ghana on behalf of the Africa Group. We have taken note of the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and reaffirm our commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, the rule of law, and the democratic process. The report records the transmission of one communication to our country and to our government in 2024. We respectfully reject the characterization of this matter as a case of arbitrary arrest, as well as any implication that arbitrary detention is a common or accepted practice in our country. The United Republic of Tanzania is governed by the rule of law, with constitutional and legal safeguards in place to protect individual freedoms and to ensure that all arrests and detentions are carried out strictly in accordance with due process. As a part to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People's Right, Tanzania upholds fundamental rights and freedoms. These international obligations are given effect through Article 15 of the Constitution, relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act, and other pieces of legislation governing criminal processes. The Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance in the Judiciary remain empowered to receive complaints and to investigate abuses. Where misconduct by individual officers occurs, it does not reflect government policy, and offenders are held accountable through judicial and disciplinary processes. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cyprus.

Madam Vice President, Cyprus aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the working group for its report. We strongly condemn the abduction and arbitrary detention from July 19th to September 12th of five Cypriot citizens by the occupation regime. These individuals, who are internally displaced persons from the occupied part of Cyprus, were brought before a military court on unfounded allegations and are still not allowed to leave the occupied part as one of the restrictive measures imposed. We recall that in the interstate case of Cyprus versus Turkey of 2001, the European Court of Human Rights held that the trial of civilians by military courts constitutes a violation of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human.

Rights.

Similarly, the Human Rights Committee has considered military courts unsuitable to try civilians. These individuals were also being detained on remand without the possibility of bail for almost two months. This is contrary to the well-established principle of international law, reiterated in this report, that pre-trial detention must be the exception, not the rule. Turkey must take concrete action to fully comply with its obligations under international law including Article 9 of the ICCPR, and immediately and unconditionally release the five Cypriot citizens. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Madam Vice President, China takes note of the report of the working group, which shows that in 2024, The overwhelming majority of countries receiving communications remain developing countries. China regrets this situation, which once again highlights the prominent double standards and imbalance in human rights governance within the relevant special procedures. The working group should discharge its duties impartially. and objectively in accordance with a mandate from the council and a code of conduct, relying on authentic and reliable information, and should not be misled by one-sided accounts. Judicial fairness serves as the final safeguard for social equity and justice. China firmly opposes arbitrary detention. Our constitution stipulates that the personal freedom of citizens shall not be infringed upon, that all are equal before the law, and that no one shall be above the law. Harsh penalties are reserved solely for criminal acts. The label of human rights defender should not influence conviction or sentencing. China attaches importance to engagement and dialogue with the relevant special procedures. We hope that they will respect the sovereignty and judicial independence of all countries and pursue constructive dialogue and cooperation with member states. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Afghanistan.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We thank the Working Group for its report. Arbitrary detention is a common and favourite method of intimidation for the Taliban, who are disproportionately targeting women, persons with disabilities, members of the ethnic and religious minorities, and members of the former security forces. The OACR report highlights that enforcement of measure by the Taliban regarding the so-called prevention of vice and promotion of virtue law, finding that this law is being used as a base for monitoring and enforcing, which involves verbal warning, arbitrary arrests and detention, physical punishment like beating and the others.

This arbitrary detention often results in enforced disappearances and extrajudicially killing.

Particularly in the case of former security forces. These abuses are pervasive in Afghanistan under the Taliban. The reality that we face today is that women are either imprisoned in their own homes or forced to endure violence in arbitrary detentions. We recommend the Working Group to continue to investigate the widespread nature of arbitrary detentions in Afghanistan by facilitating documentation and improving reporting to prevent these abuses to be rendered invisible. Madam Vice-President, how can the Working Group strengthen documentation on Afghanistan through victim- and survivor-centred investigation? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cambodia.

Madam Vice-President, my delegation thanks the Working Group for its report and comments, and we are in different hours, the principle that liberty is the rule, detention the exception. Arbitrary detention is not a mere procedural reality. It is a grave affront to the humanity this country is entrusted to uphold. The Royal Embassy of Cambodia expresses its concerns over the continued detention of the 18 soldiers seized by Thailand shortly after the ceasefire. Their legal status as prisoners of war is affirmed under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Article 118 mandates their release and repatriation without delay after the cessation of active hostility. This obligation is absolute, neither negotiable nor conditional. Any persistent detention, whether under the pretext of interrogation or prevention of hostility, is without lawful basis and under Article 130 constitute unlawful confinement, a grave breach of the Convention. Such a breach entails not only to the international responsibility of the detaining state, but also to individual criminal responsibility under Rome Statute. The protection accorded to the prisoner of war are not exhausted by human treatment during the captivity. culminate in the immediate and unconditional release. Cambodia therefore calls upon this Council and the Working Group to uphold this principle and to urge the prompt release of our detained soldiers. The full statement has been uploaded on the e-stun. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Gracias, Vice-President.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We have taken note of the report. The report also underscores the Bolivian government's position. We don't agree with the opinion issued because we think that the working group gave a biased assessment of the conditions of detention which the opinion refers to. It doesn't take account of the disruption of constitutional order which led to massacres, and also it hasn't taken into consideration our arguments, nor has it allowed the state to respond to information provided by the source on two occasions. So this shows that the assessment of the information was unbalanced. I would also like to point out that the Inter-American System and The United Nations country office in Bolivia recently expressed their concern at a court decision nulling the convictions pertaining to serious human rights violations which were committed during disturbances in 2019. We remain committed to a balanced and constructive dialogue with the working group. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We remain deeply concerned about the persistent use of arbitrary detention by Israel as a tool for oppressing Palestinian people. The detention of civilians, including minors and health workers, without due process is a gross violation of international law. We believe that the group, as a human rights mechanism, should address the particular situation in Palestine. We will be raising this issue during the renewal of its mandate. Madam Vice President, Turkey remains committed to combating arbitrary detention, as has taken resolved steps to strengthen its national legal framework in this field. Turkish Criminal Procedure Code ensures that individuals cannot be detained without proper legal grounds and due process. We value the Working Group's mandate. With the spirit of cooperation, we respond to its communication in good faith. However, we observe that the recent opinions of the Group failed to give due consideration to detailed state observations. We also believe that the striking decline in the rate of communication necessitates a self-assessment on the side of the working group with regard to the effectiveness of cooperation. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Madam Chair, rapporteur, France would like to thank your working group for its activities. and the impact that it has for all victims and their next of kin. France is pleased to see the number of people released following your opinions has been on the rise for the past three years. We join the appeal to Member States to strengthen the cooperation with the Working Group, and we will be presenting the resolution this session to renew your mandate for a further three years. The right to individual freedom and security requires special protection because it's a prerequisite for exercising other rights. Your work shows the interdependence. Arbitrary detention targets those who have used their freedoms of expression, opinion, and movement. Arbitrary detention also fosters other serious violations of human rights, such as torture and sexual violence. We thank the Working Group for the joint event we organized during your 100th session, "Arbitrary Detention: The Right to Equal Protection Before the Law Without Discrimination". What lessons can we learn from that event? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We commend the efforts deployed by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions. We support the recommendations contained in the report, particularly strengthening cooperation with the countries and providing reparations and remedies to victims. The protection of liberty and security is one established right in the constitution in the Sudan. Security guarantees are ensured in the legislation number 1991. The victim is innocent, the principle of a victim of innocent, uh, until proven, uh, guilty is also enshrined in the constitution. The, uh, rebellion that took place, uh, in April 2023 led, uh, to widespread violations by the rebels, including, uh, this, deprivation of liberty, enforced disappearances, and other violations according to the international instruments. We call upon your Council to condemn these grave practices and the perpetrators and supporters thereof, while making sure that these violations will not be repeated in the future. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Greece.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Greece aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Working Group for its report. We remain deeply concerned by the persistence of arbitrary detention worldwide. Such practices constitute violations of human rights while undermining the rule of law and the credibility of justice systems. Deeply troubling are the reports of arbitrary detention targeting journalists, lawyers, political opponents and human rights defenders. Greece underscores the fundamental importance of the principles of legality, proportionality, and judicial oversight in all cases of deprivation of liberty. In this regard, we value the crucial work of the working group in documenting such violations and in providing guidance to states on compliance with their international obligations. We strongly condemn the recent persecution of five Cypriot citizens who were arbitrarily and unlawfully detained for almost two months in the northern part of Cyprus occupied by Turkey on unfounded allegations, and we call for their unconditional release. We also note with regret that the Working Group continues to receive reports of acts of intimidation and reprisals against individuals connected to its procedures. Greece reiterates its support for the mandate of the working group and its commitment to efforts to eradicate arbitrary detention in all its forms. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Thank you, Vice-President. In March this year, in clear violation of international law, the US, under cover of an archaic law of 1798 called the Alien Enemies Act, arbitrarily detained 252 Venezuelan migrants and transferred them by trickery to El Salvador, where they were victims of cruel and inhumane treatment without due process, restricting their right to defence. US law does not require evidence to consider a foreigner to be a threat. All that is needed is simple suspicion, and annulling de facto minimum guarantees that due process gives to any person in any part of the world. Venezuela referred to this working group in time with detailed information on this flagrant violation of the human rights of Venezuelan migrants. Therefore, we wonder what actions the working group intends to take to condemn arbitrary detentions perpetrated against Venezuelan migrants. What reparation measures will it propose to compensate victims for the torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment that they suffered during their arbitrary detention in El Salvador? Silence, ambiguity or lack of action towards such acts of such magnitude not only undermine the credibility of the human rights mechanisms but also send a dangerous message of impunity.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy.

Distinguished Vice-President, we thank the Working Group for its report and reiterate our full support for its mandate and its crucial work. To this day, the practice of arbitrary arrest or detention remains widespread and is often associated with torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of individuals. We echo the report's timely reminder that the pre-trial detention must remain the exception rather than the rule. We are deeply concerned by the measures of state authority to arbitrarily arrest, detain or sentence individuals on questionable legal grounds, whether to exercise leverage over foreign governments or to limit citizens' right to participate in public and political life. Italy strongly condemns the use of arbitrary detention as a tool of intimidation of political opponents, dissidents and other individuals in their exercise of civil and political rights. We urge all States to ensure respect for international law and the rule of law, and we encourage them to uphold human rights, including by preventing arbitrariness in official procedure. Chair, what concrete step does the Working Group recommend to ensure that alternatives to pretrial detention are effectively implemented and monitored by States?

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Rwanda.

Madam Vice-President, Rwanda aligns itself with the statement delivered by Ghana on behalf of the Africa Group. We noted the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and wish to reaffirm Rwanda's strong commitment to upholding human rights at both national and international level. The right to due process of law requires that all individuals receive fair, legal treatment and have their fundamental rights protected through arbitrary action, ensuring that life, liberty and property are not deprived without adherence to proper legal procedure. Article 29 of our constitution explicitly includes the right to due process of law, stating that everyone has the right to due process, including the right to be informed of charges against them and right to legal defense. The report allegation of arbitrary detention in Rwanda concerned individuals who were roughly arrested and tried for serious crimes. Referring these cases as arbitrary detention undermine fundamental principles of law and independence of sovereign judicial system. While Rwanda remains committed to engaging with working group in good faith, we call for objective, fair, and consistent implementation of international human rights standards and respecting judicial independence and foster mutual understanding. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.

Thank you. Ireland aligns with the EU statement and thanks the working group for their report. Ireland appreciates the report's focus on pre-trial detention, particularly the call on states to provide for practical, proportional, non-discriminatory, and preferably non-financial alternatives. Ireland further echoes the working group's assertion that pre-trial detention must be the exception and not the rule. We condemn the use of detention as a tool to intimidate, silence or punish any person for exercising their human rights. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons arbitrarily detained. The increased use of arbitrary detention as a tool for political repression in all regions in recent years is deeply concerning and constitutes a violation of the right to participate in public and political life. Civil society actors, human rights defenders and media workers play a crucial role in our societies and must be free to carry out their activities without fear of harassment, reprisal, detention or violence. Ireland condemns all acts of reprisals and intimidation against individuals whose cases have been raised by the Working Group and those who seek to cooperate with the UN, its representatives and its mechanisms in the field of human rights. What measures can States take to ensure proactive engagement with the Working Group and full implementation of the Working Group's opinions? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala.

Thank you, Vice-President. Guatemala is grateful to the working group for introducing its report, and we welcome the thematic approach to non-custodial measures. My country notes with concern that criminalisation and arbitrary detention have been a persistent practice in the national justice system, affecting in particular human rights defenders, journalists, justice operators who have fought impunity, as well as authorities and leaders of the indigenous peoples who have contributed to strengthening democracy in the country. This reality highlights the need to eradicate the undue use of criminal law as a tool for persecution. The Government of President Arreola has conducted actions to bolster judicial independence, review the use of preventive prison and develop effective mechanisms to guarantee respect for judicial guarantees and avoid repetition of practices of criminalization and arbitrary detention. Thus, Guatemala highlights the importance of technical assistance of the international mechanisms, including this working group, has submitted an official invitation for an official visit to be made as soon as possible, convinced that their support will be key to consolidating a justice system that guarantees dignity, freedom, and the rights of all persons. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.

Madam Vice President, the delegation of Egypt welcomes the interactive dialogue with the working group, and we have taken note of the report submitted to the Council. We reaffirm the importance of the mandate entrusted to the working group, and in this regard, we reiterate Egypt's commitment to continuing communicating, interacting, and cooperating in good faith with all communications received from the working group. We would like to draw the attention that some parties continue to misuse the special procedures as a tool for political targeting through deliberate attempts to frame the legal processes of investigations conducted by independent judicial bodies in countries as arbitrary detention, without committing to fully, objectively, and impartially presenting the procedural and legal references for detention decisions issued against defendants. We reiterate our call for the working group to continue to carefully verify the credibility and validity of the communications it receives against Egypt before formally notifying the state, and to avoid adopting negative opinions regarding these communications based on unreliable sources of information. We reaffirmed that Egypt's constitutional and legal frameworks provide strong safeguards against arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and we also continue to engage constructively with the working group and provide detailed information on the communications we receive in a timely manner. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Distinguished representative of Iraq.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Iraq would like to welcome the working group, and we reiterate our continued cooperation with all the communications received by the working group. The late responses to some communications should be understood as an issue with waiting for the outcomes of independent judicial processes. Madam Vice President, national legislation adopt alternatives to detention, including personal pledges and bails. impactful, uh, legal tools that guarantee the appearance of defendants and the good running of investigations and adjudication. This, uh, also alleviates the burden on detention centers and limits the, uh, social and economic, uh, repercussions on the person and the families. this is not belittling the importance of handling crime. It is a form of building confidence with the citizens and judicial bodies and making the rule of law a pillar for the protection of freedoms and rights. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

The Algerian delegation welcomes the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and takes note of its report. Algeria reaffirms its unwavering commitment to engaging constructively with all mechanisms of the Human Rights Council. In this regard, my country ensures timely submission of responses to communications and comments concerning the opinions issued by the Working Group. We nevertheless underline the importance of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information received by the mandate. Far too often, some allegations are politically motivated or originate from biased sources. Madam Vice President, Algeria commands the working group's attention to arbitrary detentions of human rights defenders in situation of foreign occupation. In this context, we express our deep concern over the widespread and prolonged detention of thousands of Palestinians, including women, children, journalists, and human rights defenders, without charge or trial under the so-called administrative detention policy imposed by the occupying power. These practices represent a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. We urge the working group to continue its important work in this regard and to ensure that the voices of those who struggle for justice, dignity, and their right to self-determination are heard and protected. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Thank you, Vice President. We take note of the report. Cuba maintains a high level of responding to requests for information from this working group, which highlights the political will to cooperate with UN mechanisms. on the basis of respect and abiding by rules of procedure. We urge the group to work professionally and objectively and to abide by the code of conduct for special procedures. Full respect for the principles of non-selectivity, non-politisation, impartiality and respect for the sovereignty of states is not optional; it is an obligation that brooks no exceptions. We reiterate our rejection of special procedures and other mechanisms in the system for political subversive ends, for ends that are alien to the defence of human rights and the principles and purposes of the Charter. Opinions should not be adopted in a preconceived fashion. We need to take into account properly the responses from states concerned and respect the national legislations, which is an intrinsic part of the right of people to sovereignty, independence and self-determination. Lack of objectivity, political bias and scarce or non-existent verification of information provided by sources continues to be a problem in the work of the group. Sadly, they continue to process cases on persons who don't exist, persons who have never been deprived of liberty, or identical situations involving individuals who live hundreds of kilometers away. We reiterate the commitment of our country to continue working systematically and in a coordinated fashion to promote and protect the human rights of Cuban men and women. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Islamic Republic of Iran.

BismillahirRahmanirRahim. Madam Vice President, we have reviewed the reports of the Working Group.

In some of them, references have been made to Iran.

To which we have responded through correspondence and provided the necessary clarifications. We continue to expect the Working Group to give due consideration to these responses and to maintain impartiality and professionalism in its assessment of the information received from States. We believe that the thematic issue of report alternatives to pretrial detention presented by working group is of a very great significance. In the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, special attention has been given to this matter and multiple avenues are provided for the use of alternative measures in place of pretrial detention. Except in very limited cases, where security requirements and pre-investigation procedures make it necessary, priority is given to alternatives.

To detention in all other circumstances.

Mr. President, we are of the opinion that alternatives to pretrial detention can importantly help a country's judicial system by reducing jail populations, lowering costs, and more human treatment of defendants. However, we are very much intent to emphasize what is raised by the working group, and that is not, but these alternatives must be practical, proportional and non-discriminatory that should be available for everyone regardless of their ethnicity, religious or being men or women. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus.

Thank you, Vice President. We've taken note of the report of the working group, which contains references to cases of detention of persons in Belarus. We categorically reject claims that these arbitrations are of an arbitrary nature. The procedure for using such measures of procedural, uh, coercion, like detention is strictly regulated by national legislation and is unswervingly abided by. In March this year, there was a, a Belarus law that came into force on changing the codes on issues of criminal liability. It, uh, supplemented non-custodial measures. for more than 20 categories of offenses. We very much recommend the group to refrain from the practice of sending requests to states without due verification of the sources and substance of the information that they receive. We propose to the working group that they show greater care when it comes to situations with arbitrary detentions in Poland and in other European states following mass demonstrations, the number of which keeps growing. and also the practice of deportations from Lithuania on the pretext of dangers to security. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chad.

Thank you, Vice-President. Chad thanks the working group for the report. We reaffirm our commitment to respecting international instruments that it's party to, as well as the provisions of its constitution of June 2023, guaranteeing the protection of freedoms and of liberties and fundamental freedoms. My delegation wishes to stress here that justice in Chad is rendered in the name of the Chadian people independently, that independence at the judicial level is in line with the relevant provisions of the constitution. Article 154 and the Criminal Procedure Code of Chad, any person found guilty receives the assistance of a lawyer and has all recourse to appeal provided for under the Criminal Code, including appeal and cassation. The possibility of recurring to jurisdictional oversight mechanisms guarantees the respect to the right for an equitable due process. Persons who have gone through this judicial proceedings and detention conditions. All the conditions are in line with the relative legislative provisions. The government reaffirms that all judicial procedures take place fully in line with the criminal procedure code. Vice President Chad reiterates its willingness to cooperate fully with the working group and remains ready to host it in its territory. I thank you.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain.

Thank you, Vice-President. We are grateful to the working group for its work and its report on activities and its contributions to non-custodial measures. The working group is a special procedure, long-standing, which sadly is still needed, given the proliferation of this practice, which is incompatible with international human rights law. We call for the immediate unconditional release of all persons in detention arbitrarily, especially human rights defenders, journalists, and political opposition figures. Spain recognizes the... encouragement given by the working group to the families of victims who have suffered illegal detention. We urge all States to cooperate with that mechanism. We are troubled by reprisals that you have noted in your report, and we call on all States to refrain from sanctioning in all forms those who contact the working group, especially mandate holders. Spain continues to call for a world where opinion, dissent and criticism should not be penalised arbitrarily and deprecation of liberty without any legal foundation. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Arbitrary detention is an abhorrent violation of human rights and undermines the trust in institutions that keep societies safe and open. The UK continues to call on all States to respect their international obligations and commitments in this area. We would like to thank the working group for its latest report, which contains over 70 opinions, all of which require attention. But today, I would like to focus on the working group's opinion on Jimmy Lai, a 77-year-old British national who has been in detention in Hong Kong for over 1,600 days.

And I know that his son is here with us today in this room. Madam Vice-President, The working group's unequivocal opinion is that Mr. Lai's detention is arbitrary. The UK takes that opinion very seriously and our position is clear.

Jimmy Lai's prosecution is politically motivated and he should be released. We have called on Beijing repeatedly to repeal its national security law. We have called for Jimmy Lai to be released and we continue to press for consular case access and for an independent medical assessment of Mr. Lai's health. We repeat those calls today, and we urge China to respond to the working group's opinion.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.

Madam Vice Pres-… Madam Vice President, uh, my delegation thanks the working group on arbitrary detention for its 2024-2025 report, the thematic focus on alternatives to pre-trial, pre-trial detention, treatment of detainees, including women deprived of, of liberty. South Africa remains committed to legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination in detention as a state party to the Convention against Torture and the ICCPR, as well as the Bill of Rights that enshrines the right to liberty. Our framework already guarantees timely legal assistance, access to counsel, and independent review mechanisms as safeguards against arbitrary deprivation of liberty. The working group's emphasis on non-custodial options aligns with reducing overcrowding and upholding the presumption of innocence. South Africa continues to advance non-custodial measures through legislative reforms and risk-based assessment tools. We urge ongoing international collaboration to share best practices and prevent discrimination in access to alternatives. We re- we re- reiterate our commitment to gender responsive detention policies, safeguarding privacy, protection from violence and data desegregation to address women's specific needs, including health and childcare, childcare considerations. We remain committed to.

Strengthening the-

I'd like to ask you to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colombia thanks the working group on arbitrary detention for introducing their report, which highlights the obligation for all states to guarantee that imprisonment is in line with the law. Allow us to refer to our concern for cases of persons deprived of liberty in any country. These are Venezuelans in other countries or Colombians in Venezuela. Cases of Colombians have been subject to diplomatic representations at the highest level and require urgent attention from the authorities of our brother country. Colombia has asked respectfully to guarantee due process and the presumption of innocence, as well as ensuring decent detainment conditions and effective access to defense. We also stress the obligation to allow consular assistance to be given to those who have a right to it. We reiterate once more the request for clear, detailed information on the situation of fellow countrymen detained there and on how their due process rights are guaranteed and for their freedom for them and for all persons detained with no grounds, how those rights can be restored. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Germany aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the working group for their important work.

Personal liberty and the rule of law are the foundation of a strong society.

When liberty is taken without due process, society will crumble. Arbitrary detention silences individuals and erodes general trust in justice and governance. With more than.

500 individual cases addressed in 2024, the Working Group's report shows that combating arbitrary detention remains a momentous task.

We welcome the release of 45 individuals following your communications, underlining how your work is making a very tangible difference, both for individuals and for human rights. The widespread abuse of pre-trial detention as a tool to assert political pressure is concerning.

We follow, echo the Working Group's call to ensure.

That practical, proportional, and non-discriminatory alternatives to pretrial detention in line with international standards are important. Pretrial detention should remain an exception, never a default practice. We call on all states to constructively engage with the working group through timely responses, follow up on opinions, and facilitation of country visits. Let me close by reaffirming Germany's stance in solidarity by those arbitrarily and unlawfully detained around the globe and calls for their immediate release. Members of the working group, could you explain whether and in how far you have witnessed elements of transnational repression against formerly detained persons? Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi.

Madam Vice President. Malawi thanks the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for its report and valuable recommendations. Malawi shares the view that arbitrary detention undermines rule of law and erodes the enjoyment of fundamental human rights. Malawi continues to strengthen its justice system to ensure that the deprivation of liberty fully complies with the Constitution of Malawi and international standards. Furthermore, Malawi continues to work towards expanding access to legal aid and accelerating judicial processes to reduce prolonged pretrial detention. Malawi welcomes the recommendation for states to promulgate legislation that provides for sufficient number of variety of non-custodial measures, especially non-financial ones, to protect liberty while ensuring court appearances. Malawi also recognizes the importance of cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms, and in that regard, Malawi remains committed to constructive engagement and to aligning with our legislative and institutional frameworks with our international obligations. Finally, Malawi echoes the working group's call for the global community to end arbitrary detention once and for all. We reaffirm our dedication to upholding human dignity and rule of law and access to justice for all. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of -- sorry. This is the last speaker we could accommodate on the list. We will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-government organizations. I give the floor to Burundi Commission Nationale Indépendante de.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Burundi has an appropriate legal framework to promote and protect human rights, including the rights of detainees. Nevertheless, the Human Rights Commission remains concerned about a number of irregularities in cases of detention. Notably, there has been inappropriate treatment for prisoners with mental health conditions. They should have been housed in specialized units. Some people who've already served all their sentences remain in prison and we're concerned about them and are advocating with the highest levels of government to have these files properly resolved. We are Also investigating the possibilities for amnesties and pardons under the criminal code. And also. Clemency for detainees who are held under political. Because their political activities, we're calling for the implementation of the decree on probation. We are also calling for an amnesty for certain inmates whose offenses were political in nature. We are calling for the swift resolution of these cases. Thank you.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

Thank you, President. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission welcomes the report of the working group. Its monitoring of prisons and police cells and investigations noted crowding in detention facilities by over 30%, which were, among others, attributed to prolonged pre-trial detention. In June 2025, the Commission published a statement condemning indefinite detention as this violates human rights. The Commission, however, commends the Government of Zimbabwe for ensuring, in most cases, adherence to the Section 50 constitutional requirement for arrested persons to be placed before a court within 48 hours or released, and the right to bail. This is a best practice that other jurisdictions may emulate as a means to prevent and mitigate arbitrary detentions. The Commission recommends that more be done to ensure full enjoyment of all arrestees without discrimination of the right to bail, especially and including those with cases of political interest. As the government develops its National Development Strategy II, it urges the government, firstly, to implement the recommendations by the working group to use the percentage of pretrial detainees as an indicator for measuring the efficiency of the justice system in terms of SDG 16. as well as to frequently utilize alternatives to detention without discrimination to ensure efficient and just court appearances so as to address crowding in detention facilities and ensure humane treatment of arrested persons. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to State of Palestine Independent Commission for Human Rights.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Independent Commission for Human Rights expresses grave concern over Israel's systematic use of arbitrary detention since October 2023. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza. These arrests, carried out in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, are used as a tool of collective punishment. Today, around 11,000 Palestinians remain imprisoned under harsh conditions, facing starvation, torture, sexual violence, medical neglect, and denial of access to lawyers and to the ICRC. Since October, at least 75 Palestinians have died in custody due to torture, ill-treatment, or denial of care. Arbitrary detention has effectively become an official policy. We urge this Council to support an independent investigation into mass arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and death in custody. Demand disclosure of all detainees' whereabouts and access for lawyers and humanitarian actors. Press for the release of all arbitrarily detained persons and accountability for these crimes. Thank you.

Thank you. This is the last speaker we can accommodate in this session. Distinguished colleagues, this brings us to the end of this morning's session. We will reconvene this afternoon to continue this interactive dialogue, to be followed by independent expert on older persons and interactive dialogue with working group on rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas. I would like to thank the interpreters for giving us this extra time. I hereby close the 14th meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council. Thank you.