How to Report a Disappearance
This section provides information and guidance about how to report a disappearance to international authorities. The bodies included here are humanitarian mechanisms, rather than legal ones. This means that they are not focussed on prosecution, but on finding out what happened to the person. Click on the sub-headings below for the relevant information.
Please note that EHRAC unfortunately does not have the capacity to support or respond to requests for help, but the resources indicated in this section should be able to support.
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID)
The WGEID is a UN body which deals with information relating to disappearances from anywhere in the world by communicating directly with the state involved to clarify what happened to the person.
How do I report a disappearance?
A disappearance can be reported to the WGEID by sending a completed form (in English, French or Spanish) in one of the following ways:
- Email: hrc-wg-eid@un.org
- Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (please indicate: “For the attention of: WGEID”).
- Post: Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais des Nations, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
What information do I need to include?
It is very important to follow the instructions on the form carefully and to include at least the minimum information the WGEID requires.
What happens next?
A disappearance which happened less than 3 months ago will be communicated to the state quickly. Other cases may take longer to be considered. The WGEID will act as a channel of communication between you and the relevant state and will request them to investigate the disappearance, and provide information. The case stays open until the fate or whereabouts of the person are clarified.
More information
- Reporting a disappearance to the WGEID: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/wg-disappearances/reporting-disappearance-working-group
- About the WGEID: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/wg-disappearances
- About disappearances: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/Fact-sheet6-Rev4.pdf
Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
The CED is a UN body which deals with information about disappearances that relate to states (or nationals of states) which have agreed to be bound by the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
This means that before reporting a disappearance to the CED, you must check if the relevant state has agreed to (“ratified”) the Convention and check that the disappearance happened after that date. You can do this by checking the ratification list. If there is a date in the column called “Accession(a), Ratification” by the state in question and if the disappearance happened after that date, you can report it to the CED.
How do I report a disappearance?
When the CED considers a disappearance, this is called an “Urgent Action”. A disappearance can be reported to the CED (in Arabic, English, French, Russian or Spanish) in one of the following ways:
- Email: ohchr-ced-ua@un.org
- Post: Committee on Enforced Disappearances, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
The CED prefers that the disappearance is reported by sending in a completed Word form. This can be found towards the end of the linked document – in the section titled “Form for the submission of a request for urgent action”.
What information do I need to include?
Providing as much information as possible helps the CED in communicating with the state.
What happens next?
The CED communicates with the state and requests it to immediately take all necessary measures to search for, locate and protect the disappeared person, and investigate the disappearance.
More information
- About Urgent Actions: https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/ced/urgent-actions
- About the CED: https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/ced
- About disappearances: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/Fact-sheet6-Rev4.pdf
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The ICRC is an international and impartial body which deals missing persons from almost anywhere around the world through national Red Cross societies.
How do I report a disappearance?
To find out how to report a disappearance through the ICRC, select the relevant country in the Family Links Directory. You will then be directed to the relevant ICRC or Red Cross page for information on how to get support.
For support regarding disappearances and missing persons in Ukraine, you can find information on the Central Tracing Agency Ukraine page.
What information do I need to include?
This will depend on the requirements of the body you are directed to.
What happens next?
This will depend on the body you are directed to. They should advise you on what happens next.
More information
- About the ICRC’s Family Links: https://familylinks.icrc.org/
- About the ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency: https://missingpersons.icrc.org/directory/icrc-central-tracing-agency
- About the ICRC: https://www.icrc.org/en
- ICRC’s directory of other organisations from across the world: https://missingpersons.icrc.org/directory