International Criminal Law


This page compiles the key legal instruments of the United Nations human rights system, related to enforced disappearances. It also lists relevant Soft Law, Enforcement Mechanisms and Relevant Search Engines. Click the links below to be taken to the relevant section to find more information.

Entry into Force: 20 December, 1945
Ratification Status: N/A
Link: https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/ffda62/ (in English)

Relevant provisions:
Article II

Each of the following acts is recognized as a crime:

(…)

Crimes against Humanity. Atrocities and offenses, including but not limited to murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, imprisonment, torture, rape, or other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds whether or not in violation of the domestic laws of the country where perpetrated.

(…)

Entry into Force: 25 May, 1993
Ratification Status: N/A
Link: https://www.icty.org/en/documents/statute-tribunal (in English)

Relevant provisions:
Article 5 – Crimes against humanity

The International Tribunal shall have the power to prosecute persons responsible for the following crimes when committed in armed conflict, whether international or internal in character, and directed against any civilian population:

(…)

(i) other inhumane acts.

Entry into Force: 1 July, 2002
Ratification Status: 123
Link: https://www.icc-cpi.int/resource-library/core-legal-texts (in English)

Relevant provisions:
Article 7 – Crimes against humanity

For the purpose of this Statute, “crime against humanity” means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:

(…)

Enforced disappearance of persons;

(…)

For the purpose of paragraph 1:

(…)

“Enforced disappearance of persons” means the arrest, detention or abduction of persons by, or with the authorization, support or acquiescence of, a State or a political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge that deprivation of freedom or to give information on the fate or whereabouts of those persons, with the intention of removing them from the protection of the law for a prolonged period of time.

Entry into Force: 27 October, 2004
Ratification Status: N/A
Link: https://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/document/legal/law-on-eccc (in English)

Relevant provisions:
Article 5

Crimes against humanity, which have no statute of limitations, are any acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, on national, political, ethnical, racial or religious grounds, such as:

(…)

• other inhumane acts.

Entry into Force: 8 February, 2013
Ratification Status: N/A
Link: http://www.chambresafricaines.org/pdf/Accord%20UA-Senegal%20Chambres%20africaines%20extra%20Aout%202012.pdf (in French)
Link: https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/09/02/statute-extraordinary-african-chambers (unofficial translation, in English)

Relevant provisions:
Article 6 – Crimes Against Humanity

For the purpose of this Statute, “crime against humanity” means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population:

(…)

f) The enslavement or massive and systematic practice of summary executions, kidnapping of persons followed by their enforced disappearance;

(…)