A/HRC/33/51 Ukraine 108. The Working Group continues to be gravely concerned about the situation in Ukraine, which may facilitate the occurrence of enforced disappearances. It reiterates article 7 of the Declaration, which provides that no circumstances whatsoever may be invoked to justify enforced disappearances. On 22 April 2016, the Working Group requested an invitation to undertake a visit to the country and hopes that a positive reply will be received soon. Yemen 109. The Working Group is concerned about the deteriorating situation in Yemen, which may facilitate the occurrence of enforced disappearances (see A/HRC/30/31). It reiterates article 7 of the Declaration, which provides that no circumstances whatsoever may be invoked to justify enforced disappearances. V. Conclusions and recommendations 110. The Working Group is seriously concerned that the number of enforced disappearances is increasingly rising across the world with the false and pernicious belief that they are a useful tool to preserve national security and combat terrorism or organized crime. A demonstration of this sad reality is the fact that, during the reporting period, the Working Group transmitted 766 newly reported cases of disappearance to 37 States. It used the urgent action procedure in 483 of those cases, which allegedly occurred within the three months preceding the receipt of the report by the Working Group. The number of urgent actions transmitted in the course of the reporting year is more than three times higher than those reflected in the previous year’s annual report. This is of extreme concern. 111. In spite of the large number of cases, underreporting remains a major problem. More assistance should be provided to family members and members of civil society to enable them to report cases to the Working Group and more importantly to keep working on enforced disappearance issues. 112. The Working Group cannot discharge its mandate without the cooperation of States, particularly in providing information to the families about the fate or whereabouts of disappeared persons. In that respect, the Working Group welcomes that a high number of States continued cooperating with the mandate with regular and substantive replies. At the same time, it remains concerned that a significant number have never replied to the Working Group or have provided responses that do not contain any relevant information. The Working Group urges all States to fulfil their obligations under the Declaration and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council to properly investigate cases of enforced disappearances and to cooperate with the Working Group. 113. During the reporting period, the Working Group continued to observe a pattern of “short-term” enforced disappearances being used in a number of countries. The Working Group expresses its deep concern at the phenomenon. It stresses that there is no time limit, no matter how short, for an enforced disappearance to occur and that accurate information on the detention of any person deprived of liberty and their place of detention shall be made promptly available to their family members. 23