National Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared

The National Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared is established as an independent subject, with financial and administrative autonomy. Its functions include the following: a) receiving all tracing-related information available from competent authorities; b) conducting investigations to trace forcibly disappeared persons and to work for their release or the recovery of their remains; c) receiving the testimony of any person suspected of having information, while protecting their safety and security; d) receiving reports about forcibly disappeared persons, information on burial sites, and testimonies of relatives or witnesses; e) ensuring verification and storage of information pertaining to forcibly disappeared persons, to be included in the Central Records of missing and forcibly disappeared persons; f) ensuring verification of the DNA database, or any other information or biological sample necessary to determine the identity of forcibly disappeared persons; g) establishing an information bank for burial sites; h) setting the criteria to be met during burial site exhumations, and assigning the exhumation task to competent authorities; i) placing a temporary encumbrance on property suspected of containing burial sites, and securing them in preparation for excavation; j) overseeing the work of the committees responsible for excavating burial sites, exhuming remains, identifying victims, and performing autopsies and anthropological tests; k) suggesting reparation mechanisms for forcibly disappeared persons and their families, and providing support to the families; l) coordinating the efforts of local and international institutions committed to solving cases of forcibly disappeared persons; m) informing the public of the findings of investigations; n) issuing an annual report on the work undertaken, including the number of tracing requests, the number of cases under scrutiny, remains that were identified, and the names and number of burial sites that were subject to investigation, in compliance with data protection principles and in consideration of the interests of the families; o) raising awareness amongst decision-makers and the public about the forcibly disappeared persons, the needs of their families, and their suffering; p) undertaking all necessary measures to terminate any construction, excavation, alteration or any other type of work, to ensure the protection of burial sites; q) crosschecking and comparing information at its disposal with any competent authority in order to verify the identity of the forcibly disappeared persons' remains, to determine their whereabouts, and to guarantee determination of their identity; r) issuing documents and certificates to the families of forcibly disappeared persons; s) submitting recommendations to the Cabinet on mechanisms to be implemented in order to bring justice for forcibly disappeared persons and their families. The Commission can resort to security apparatuses and to the judicial police to fulfil any of its tasks through legal means. In the event of an armed conflict or occupation, the Commission shall provide the National Information Bureau with all information at its disposal.