Over 1,000 disappearances occur daily worldwide. The victims of these abductions—commonly human rights defenders—are usually never seen again, taken to locations where they may be tortured, dehumanized and killed.

Enforced disappearances are a crime in which someone, usually a political or governmental actor of some kind, makes another person disappear against their will. Typically, the practice occurs in areas of the globe where the political climate is extremely oppressive, such as military dictatorships, authoritarian governments or totalitarian governments. 

Under strict rule, citizens may feel their human rights are being violated, and although the pushback from the government may be incredibly threatening, few brave people speak out against the limiting nature of their country's politics. Lawyers, protestors and human rights activists alike are the exact people who pose a threat to the security of the people in power, the exact people who are targeted constantly by the practice of enforced disappearances. Trial International writes, “the agents of a repressive State often perpetuate this crime, which, with complete impunity ‘gets rid’ of people that it considers a nuisance.”

Enforced disappearances are illegal, and although they are most commonly perpetuated by State or other political agents in power, they are an extreme violation of human rights laws. They do not require a warrant, probable cause or even evidence; if someone is deemed a pestilence to the authoritative powers of a country, they are targeted and taken. 

The United Nations states “victims are frequently tortured and in constant fear for their lives…deprived of all of their rights and are at the mercy of their captors.” Families who lose a loved one to enforced disappearance usually never know if that person is alive or dead, whether they suffered torture or continue to, whether they will be the next to vanish.

The UN reported that cases of enforced disappearances occur nearly 1,000 times a day, and it has become a major point of discussion for human rights activists.According to Amnesty International, Syria, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Zimbabwe are among the countries with the highest rates of enforced disappearances.

Recent cases of known and publicized enforced disappearances can be exemplified in China. The disappearance of three human rights activists—Mr. Ding Jiaxi, Mr. Zhang Zhongshun and Mr. Dia Zhenya—in 2019 is being attributed to the practice, as reported by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. The three men were said to have attended a gathering in which China’s political structure and climate was discussed and after were forcibly taken by Chinese authority to a detention center. The undisclosed location of the center, alongside the inability for detainees to access a lawyer, insinuate that torture and inhumane treatment of individuals including Jiaxi, Zhongshun and Zhenya is highly possible.

However, commissions and treaties have been adapted to begin the fight against such a heinous crime. The Committee of Enforced Disappearances (CED) monitors what is called The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons From Enforced Disappearances, which Amnesty International explains as a treaty which not only outlines the criminality of the practice, but works to “prevent enforced disappearances, uncover the truth when they do happen and make sure survivors and victim’s families received justice.” 

Around the same time the convention was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, it also decided August 30 would be the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Remembering those who have vanished, wishing for their peace and appreciating their loved-ones courageous actions is how most families spend the holiday.

To Get Involved:

The United Nations has been attempting to double the ratifications of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances so its policies can be globally accepted and practiced to protect all people from the crime of forced disappearances. To learn how to help the UN reach its goal, click here.

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Ava is an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois, double majoring in English and Communications. At school, she Web Writes about music for a student-run radio station. She is also an avid backpacker, which is where her passion for travel and the outdoors comes from. She is very passionate about social justice issues, specifically those involving women’s rights, and is excited to write content about social action across the globe.