A/HRC/21/43 CACI International, Inc. and Al-Quiraishi v. L-3 Services, Inc., in which it was argued that contractors accused of international human rights violations, in this case torture, should not be granted a “combatant activities” exemption from civil liability in United States courts. On 11 May 2012, the full appeals court dismissed the appeal by the defendants and referred the case back to the district courts for further fact-finding. 13. The Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group participated in the annual joint seminar of the United Nations Office at Geneva and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces convened on 7 December 2011 on the subject of the privatization of security. She delivered a statement on the challenges of regulating private military and security companies, gaps in regulation at the international and national levels and the need for a binding international instrument to ensure accountability for private military and security companies involved in human rights violations and to provide effective remedies to victims. From 30 May to 1 June 2012, she participated in a conference convened at the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy at the University of Denver, United States, where she discussed current regulatory efforts and continuing challenges relating to the activities of private military and security companies. 14. Ms. Arias participated in a regional workshop for North-East and Central Asia on the Montreux Document on pertinent international legal obligations and good practices for States related to operations of private military and security companies during armed conflict, held on 12 and 13 October 2011 in Ulaanbaatar. The workshop was organized by the Governments of Mongolia and Switzerland, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces. She gave a presentation on activities of private military and security companies in the scenario of the use of force, their impact on human rights, risks and challenges. 15. During the thirty-first International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in Geneva from 28 November to 1 December 2011, Ms. Karska participated in a side event entitled “Protecting civilians in armed conflict: beyond the Montreux Document – international developments in private military and security company regulation”, which was organized by the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Switzerland, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces and the International Committee of the Red Cross. She gave a presentation on gaps in international human rights and humanitarian law in relation to accountability for violations of international law involving private military and security companies. 16. On 28 March 2012, Mr. Rona participated as a resource person in the second session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, during which the Committee held consultations on the definition of non-State actors and their involvement in enforced disappearances, including issues of responsibility and accountability. III. Engagement of the Working Group in processes to elaborate standards for the regulation of private military and security companies at the international level 17. The Working Group welcomes the continued efforts by the Human Rights Council and Member States to elaborate an international regulatory framework for private military and security companies and to establish voluntary standards for the industry. It appreciates the opportunity to inform these continuing processes. 5