A/HRC/4/41 page 18 71. The Working Group reaffirms its request to the Government of Algeria for a country visit aimed at clarifying the 1,622 outstanding cases. 72. The Working Group recalls the guidelines contained in paragraphs 2 and 8 (c) of the Working Group’s general comment on article 18 of the Declaration. Paragraph 2 of the general comment on article 18 states that “[a]n amnesty law should be considered as being contrary to the provisions of the Declaration even where endorsed by a referendum or similar consultation procedure”. Moreover, paragraph 8 (c) of the general comment specifies that “[p]erpetrators of disappearances shall not benefit from such laws if the State has not fulfilled its obligations to investigate the relevant circumstances surrounding disappearances, identify and detain the perpetrators, and ensure the satisfaction of the right to justice, truth, information, redress, reparation, rehabilitation and compensation to the victims”. Angola Number of outstanding cases at the beginning of the period under review 3 Cases transmitted to the Government during the period under review Cases sent under Cases sent under the standard the urgent action procedure procedure 0 Number of cases on which the Government has replied 3 Cases clarified during the period under review by: Government Non-governmental sources 0 0 Multiple replies on some cases General allegation Prompt intervention letter Working Group request for a visit N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 Number of outstanding cases at the end of the year under review 3 Number of cases of possible clarification by Government (6-month rule) N/A Government response Government response Government response N/A N/A N/A Information from the Government 73. The Government replied on the three outstanding cases. The Government indicated that the Working Group’s communication concerning the three Angolans who had disappeared had been transmitted to the competent Angolan authorities. Information from sources 74. No information was received from sources regarding outstanding cases. Summary of the situation prior to the period under review 75. In May 2003, three persons were reportedly arrested and disappeared at the hands of soldiers while travelling from the village of Quisoqui to the village of Caio-Guembo. Total cases transmitted, clarified and outstanding 76. In the past and during the period under review, the Working Group has transmitted 10 cases to the Government; of those, 7 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the Government and 3 cases remain outstanding.