Bank of Genetic Profiles of Disappeared Persons
The Bank of Genetic Profiles of Disappeared Persons is established under the direction and coordination of the Attorney General's Office. The State's forensic genetics laboratories process, index, organise and enter into the Bank the information on the genetic profiles obtained from the bodies and remains of the victims. They also take, process and cross-check the biological samples of victims’ relatives who voluntarily authorise the operation for the identification of the disappeared. The laboratories code all information in a way that allows confidentiality, preservation and traceability. The Attorney General's Office is responsible for keeping relatives informed on the identification process, on the use of their samples and on the results and details of the analysis.Legal Instrument
Law establishing a mechanism for paying tribute to victims of forced disappearance and providing for measures to locate and identify them
Treatment
The UN CED acknowledged the measures adopted by the State to search for disappeared persons however, it expressed concerned about reports of serious difficulties, in practice, in searching for disappeared persons and in identifying their remains. It called on the State to enhance the Genetic Profile Bank, in particular by conducting extensive campaigns to collect ante-mortem information and genetic samples from disappeared persons’ relatives, with a special focus on rural areas.
Relevant links
- Law establishing a mechanism for paying tribute to victims of forced disappearance and providing for measures to locate and identify them
- Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Mission to Colombia and Nepal follow-up to the recommendations, 2012, A/HRC/19/58/Add.4
- UN CED, Concluding observations on the report submitted by Colombia under article 29 (1) of the Convention, 2016, CED/C/COL/CO/1