A/HRC/39/46
Turkey
136. The Working Group is concerned at the allegations concerning the practice of
extraterritorial abduction of individuals allegedly belonging to and/or sympathizers of the
Hizmet/Gülen movement, as pointed out in a number of communications (see
A/WGEID/114/1, paras. 7 and 145). Those individuals are often allegedly forcibly
disappeared for a short period of time, in violation of the provisions of the Declaration, and
then deported to Turkey.
Turkmenistan
137. On 18 November 2016, the Working Group requested an invitation to visit the
country. The Working Group hopes that a positive reply will be received soon.
United Arab Emirates
138. On 13 September 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 and 19 January 2018. The
Working Group hopes that a positive reply will be received soon.
Yemen
139. The Working Group continues to be concerned about the situation in Yemen, which
may facilitate the occurrence of enforced disappearances (see A/HRC/33/51, para. 109, and
A/HRC/36/39, para. 111). It reiterates article 7 of the Declaration, which provides that no
circumstances whatsoever may be invoked to justify enforced disappearances.
140. On 31 October 2017, the Working Group requested an invitation to visit the country.
The Working Group hopes that a positive reply will be received soon.
V. Conclusions and recommendations
141. The Working Group is seriously concerned that the number of enforced
disappearances continues to be unacceptably high worldwide. A demonstration of this
sad reality is the fact that, during the reporting period, the Working Group
transmitted 802 newly reported cases of disappearance to 40 States. It used the urgent
action procedure in 264 of those cases, which allegedly occurred within the three
months preceding the receipt of the report by the Working Group.
142. 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.
143. 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 should be made available promptly to family members.
144. The Working Group is concerned about the situation in a number of countries,
as reflected in the present report. It reiterates article 7 of the Declaration, which
provides that no circumstances whatsoever, whether a threat of war, a state of war,
internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked to justify
enforced disappearances.
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