A/HRC/22/45
259. The third communication concerned information regarding the entering into force of
the ―Ley del registro nacional de datos de personas extraviadas o desaparecidas‖ (Law of
the national register of details of missing or disappeared persons).
260. In the fourth communication, the Government replied to a prompt intervention letter
dated 31 January 2012. The Government reported that the Procuraduría General del Estado
de Michoacán (Attorney General of the Michoacán State) had conducted an investigation
regarding the case of Ms. Barajas Mejia and that this procedure has not yet been able to
identify those involved in the harassment. In addition, the Government reported that the
presence of public security elements in the neighbourhood was increased and the services
of the Unidad de Psicología y Atención a las Victimas del Delito (Psychology and Care to
Victims of Crime Unit) of the Attorney General of the Michoacán State were made
available to the victim and her family. Finally, the Government highlighted that an
investigation was being conducted into the alleged disappearance of a member of Ms.
Barajas Mejía‘s family.
Information from sources
261.
Sources provided information on twelve outstanding cases
Press releases
262. On 14 March 2012, the Working Group issued a press release on the occasion of the
presentation of the report on its visit to Mexico. The experts, while recognizing the
challenges posed by the complex situation in relation to public security in the context of the
fight against crime, emphasized that ―there is a chronic pattern of impunity demonstrated
by the absence of effective investigations in cases of enforced disappearances‖.
Total cases transmitted, clarified and outstanding
263. Since its establishment, the Working Group has transmitted 505 cases to the
Government; of those, 28 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by
the source, 134 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the
Government, 16 cases have been discontinued and 327 remain outstanding.
Observations
264. The Working Group is seriously concerned that during the reporting period 11
urgent actions, six newly-reported cases, one urgent appeal, four prompt intervention
letters, and one press release were transmitted to the Government. The Working Group
recalls article 2.1 of the Declaration which states that ―No State shall practise, permit or
tolerate enforced disappearances‖, as well as article 3, which provides that ―Each State shall
take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent and terminate
acts of enforced disappearance in any territory under its jurisdiction.‖
265. The Working Group would also like to recall article 7 of the Declaration, which
states 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‖.
266. The Working Group would also like to remind the Government of its obligations
under the Declaration towards the families of the disappeared and in particular of article
13.3 according to which States must take steps to ensure that persons involved in
investigations of cases of enforced disappearance, including the complainant, counsel,
witnesses and those conducting the investigation, are protected against ill-treatment,
intimidation or reprisal. The Working Group would also like to recall that, in its resolution
21/4, the Human Rights Council urged Governments to take steps to provide adequate
79
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents