A/HRC/45/13
about the killings of individuals searching for their disappeared relatives. The Working
Group also noted allegations made as to the existence of secret detention facilities, and the
frequent reporting of cooperation between security forces and the “Imbonerakure” youth
wing of the ruling party in perpetrating disappearances. In several reported cases, the
alleged perpetrators were identified by name and rank.
57.
In light of the election of a new president in Burundi, the Working Group hopes that
efforts will be undertaken by the Government to investigate cases of enforced
disappearance and that Burundi will extend its cooperation to the Working Group. The
Working Group echoes the call of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi requesting the
new President of the Republic to “demonstrate his willingness for change regarding human
rights issues by fully cooperating with the international human rights mechanisms”.26
58.
The Working Group reiterates its support for the decision of the Prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court, on 25 October 2017, to open an investigation into the
situation in Burundi, including on cases of enforced disappearance. 27 At the same time, it
fully endorses the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi to establish,
with the support of the international community, an independent body with a mandate to
investigate the cases of disappearance reported since April 2015, to locate potential mass
graves and to exhume and identify the remains (A/HRC/39/63, para. 85 (c)).
China
59.
The Working Group continues to be concerned at the situation of Uighurs in
detention in a number of facilities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, in
conditions that appear to amount to enforced disappearances. 28 The Working Group has
also raised concerns over the liuzhi system, which allows members of the Communist Party
of China or employees of organizations involved in public affairs to be detained for up to
six months at a secret location with no contact with their family members and no appeal
(A/HRC/WGEID/119/1, annex I, paras. 12–15), as well as by the continued use of
residential surveillance in a designated location. The Working Group reiterates that
accurate information on the detention of persons deprived of liberty and their place or
places of detention, including transfers, should be made promptly available to their family
members, to their counsel or to any other persons having a legitimate interest in the
information (art. 10 (2) of the Declaration) and that failure to do so amounts to an enforced
disappearance.
60.
On 19 February 2013, the Working Group requested an invitation to visit the
country. No response has yet been received from the Government, in spite of reminders
sent on 27 October 2014, 27 November 2015, 18 November 2016, 19 January 2018, 18
January 2019 and 11 March 2020. The Working Group hopes that a positive reply will be
received soon.
Egypt
61.
During the reporting period, the Working Group continued to review allegations of
enforced disappearance concerning Egypt and to transmit them to the Government. Eightynine new cases were transmitted, while 64 cases were clarified. As regards the cases that
were clarified, 60 persons were confirmed to be in detention, and 1 person, Mahmoud
Ghareeb Mahmoud Qassim, was confirmed to have been killed. The Working Group notes
that a majority of the clarified cases concern individuals who reappear in detention
following several weeks of enforced disappearance. The Working Group has received
allegations regarding the reappearance of victims before the prosecutor after having been
subjected to torture during the period of enforced disappearance. The Working Group
26
27
28
18
See the oral briefing of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, held in Geneva on 14 July 2020,
available at www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26087&LangID=E.
No. ICC-01/17-X, 25 October 2017, para. 117.
A/HRC/39/46, para. 88.
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