A/HRC/9/28 page 37 Convinced that States should preserve archives and other evidence concerning gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law to facilitate knowledge of such violations, to investigate allegations and to provide victims with access to an effective remedy in accordance with international law, 1. Recognizes the importance of respecting and ensuring the right to the truth so as to contribute to ending impunity and to promote and protect human rights; 2. Welcomes the establishment in several States of specific judicial mechanisms and other non-judicial mechanisms such as truth and reconciliation commissions, that complement the justice system, to investigate violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and appreciates the elaboration and publication of the reports and decisions of these bodies; 3. Encourages the States concerned to disseminate, implement and monitor implementation of the recommendations of non-judicial mechanisms such as truth and reconciliation commissions, and provide information regarding compliance with the decisions of judicial mechanisms; 4. Encourages other States to consider establishing specific judicial mechanisms and, where appropriate, truth and reconciliation commissions to complement the justice system, to investigate and address gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law; 5. Encourages States to provide requesting States the necessary and appropriate assistance regarding the right to the truth by means of, among other actions, technical cooperation and exchange of information concerning administrative, legislative and judicial and non-judicial measures, as well as experiences and best practices that have as a purpose the protection, promotion and implementation of this right; 6. Encourages all States that have not done so to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; 7. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a comprehensive study, to be presented to the Council at its twelfth session, on best practices for the effective implementation of this right, including, in particular, practices relating to archives and records concerning gross violations of human rights with a view to create guidelines on protecting archives and records concerning gross human rights violations, and programmes for the protection of witnesses and other persons involved in trials connected with such violations; 8. Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report, to be presented to the Council at its fifteenth session, on the use of forensic experts in case of gross violations of human rights with a view to identifying trends and best practices in this regard; 9. Decides to convene a panel to discuss issues related to the present resolution at its thirteenth session;