considering establishing, where appropriate, specific judicial mechanisms or truth and reconciliation commissions that complement the justice system; (c) To make provision in their legal systems for victims of enforced or involuntary disappearances or their families to seek fair, prompt and adequate reparation and in addition, where appropriate, to consider symbolic measures recognizing the suffering of victims and restoring their dignity and reputation; (d) To address the specific needs of the families of disappeared persons; 6. Reminds States that: (a) As proclaimed in article 2 of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, no State shall practise, permit or tolerate enforced disappearances; (b) All acts of enforced or involuntary disappearance are crimes punishable by appropriate penalties, which should take due account of their extreme seriousness under criminal law; (c) They should ensure that their competent authorities proceed immediately to conduct impartial inquiries in all circumstances where there is reason to believe that an enforced disappearance has occurred in territory under their jurisdiction; (d) If such belief is borne out, all the perpetrators of enforced or involuntary disappearances must be brought to justice; (e) Impunity is simultaneously one of the underlying causes of enforced disappearances and a major obstacle to the elucidation of cases thereof; (f) As proclaimed in article 11 of the Declaration, all persons deprived of liberty must be released in a manner permitting reliable verification that they have actually been released and, further, have been released in conditions in which their physical integrity and ability fully to exercise their rights are assured; 7. Expresses: (a) Its thanks to the many Governments that have cooperated with the Working Group and replied to its requests for information and the Governments that have accepted visits of the Working Group to their countries, requesting them to give all necessary attention to the Working Group’s recommendations and inviting them to inform the Working Group of any action that they take on those recommendations; (b) Its appreciation to the Governments that are investigating, cooperating at the international and bilateral levels, and have developed or are developing appropriate mechanisms to investigate any claims of enforced disappearance that are brought to their attention, and encourages all the Governments concerned to expand their efforts in this area; 8. Invites States to take legislative, administrative, legal and other steps, including when a state of emergency has been declared, to take action at the national and regional levels and in cooperation with the United Nations, if appropriate through technical assistance, and to provide the Working Group with concrete information on the measures taken and the obstacles 3