Dec 20, 2012

Enforced Disappearances: Strategies Against an Invisible Crime


On 23 January 2013, the office of Josef Weidenholzer MEP and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) convened a conference entitled ‘Enforced Disappearances: Strategies Against an Invisible Crime at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

 

                

 

PRESS RELEASE                                                                                                   for immediate release 

 

Enforced Disappearances: Tackling an Invisible Crime

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Landmark European Parliament Conference Highlights Strategies

for Empowering Conventions and EU Policies Aimed at

Combating a Complex Crime

 

Brussels, 25 January 2013 – Against the backdrop of the ongoing reality of one of today’s most and atrocious human rights abuses, and the recent modification to China’s Criminal Procedure Law which effectively legalises enforced disappearances, Josef Weidenholzer, MEP convened a conference with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) entitled “Enforced Disappearances: Tackling an Invisible Crime”. By bringing together a number of experts on the topic, the event sought to raise awareness of abuses, empower those conventions and policies protecting victims, and identify strategies to bring perpetrators to justice and necessary conviction.

 

The conference was opened by remarks from Mr Weidenholzer and Mr Marino Busdachin (UNPO), both of whom highlighted the gravity of the practice, the opaqueness and impunity associated with this horrifying crime. Ewoud Plate, an expert on the subject, proceeded to offer an historical overview of enforced disappearances, while Claire San Fillipo (Amnesty International) stressed the inherent deniability of the crime, rendering it so particularly difficult to eradicate. Omer Kanat (World Uyghur Congress) then drew attention to the particular plight of the Uyghur people in East Turkestan who have suffered not only some of the worst cases of enforced disappearances at the hands of Chinese authorities, but also the associated crimes of organ harvesting, religious persecution and torture.

 

Remarking on the oft-overlooked risk of arbitrary arrest confronting human rights defenders themselves, Vincent Forest (Front Line Defenders) commented on the work of his organisation in ensuring that those individuals – and their families – fighting for the freedoms of others have recourse to adequate protection and psychological support. Tobias King (European External Action Service) concluded the panel discussions with his remarks on the guidelines available to EU institutions in combating the forcible removal of persons from the public sphere, in addition to the particular instances in which the EEAS has worked in applying pressure and raising awareness on ED cases in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Tibet and East Turkestan.

 

The questions-and-answers session proved particularly constructive and enlightening, with audience members engaging passionately with speakers on the topics presented. The conference was attended by two colleagues of Mr Weidenholzer,  Sylvie Guillaume MEP (S&D) and Eva Lichtenberger MEP (Greens/EFA).

 

The conference was brought to a close with participants and audience members eager to develop the discussions of the conference, and Mr Weidenholzer pledging to take up the inputs of the speakers with the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee.

 

 

For media queries please contact:

Maud Vanwalleghem | +32 251 314 59 | [email protected]

 

The Save the Date Announcement, Programme and Post-Conference Press Release are all available to download.