On the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed on 30 August, Arab and international human rights organizations express their deep concern over the continuing prevalence of enforced disappearance in several Arab countries, making the region one of the most alarming hotspots for this crime worldwide.
Decades after thousands of cases were first exposed, victims remain unaccounted for, while the practice continues systematically in some countries. The situation has further deteriorated under states of emergency and armed conflicts.
Enforced disappearance has become a repressive political tool, used to silence dissenting voices and intimidate societies.
In Egypt, while official statistics are absent due to the secrecy of the crime, rights groups estimate that nearly 19,000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearance since 2013, with around 300 still missing to this day. Hundreds of cases continue to be documented annually, including journalists, students, activists, and political leaders. These practices reflect a systematic policy aimed at stifling dissent and closing any space for civil or human rights activity.
In Algeria, the fate of thousands of the disappeared during the “Black Decade” of the 1990s remains unresolved amid persistent denial of justice.
In Iraq, successive conflicts and sectarian militias have left massive numbers of people missing.
In Libya, enforced disappearances continue amid armed group rivalries and the absence of effective state institutions.
In Yemen, secret prisons run by the Houthi group, as well as other parties backed by the UAE in the south, have become black holes for the disappeared.
In Syria, despite political transition, the fate of tens of thousands of people disappeared in the prisons of the former regime remains an open wound in the world’s conscience. This requires serious and genuine measures by the new leadership to uncover the truth, ensure accountability, and provide adequate reparations.
In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, behind the façade of progress and prosperity lies a grim reality of injustice against victims of repression, including prisoners of conscience and political dissidents.
Enforced disappearance does not lapse with time. Under international law, it constitutes a crime against humanity when practiced on a widespread or systematic basis. Despite clear legal obligations, the absence of political will and judicial accountability remains a major obstacle to justice and redress for victims.
On this occasion, the undersigned organizations:
1. Call on Arab governments, particularly those mentioned, to accede to and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and to establish independent national mechanisms for investigation and disclosure of the truth.
2. Demand that families of the victims be guaranteed their right to know the truth, to obtain justice, and to receive both moral and material reparations.
3. Urge the international community to exert effective pressure to end this crime, support relevant UN mechanisms – including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances – and activate universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators accountable.
4. Stress the essential role of civil society organizations in documentation, advocacy, and public mobilization, and the need to ensure protection for human rights defenders working on this issue.
We affirm that silence over these crimes only prolongs the suffering of victims and their families. Combating enforced disappearance requires genuine political will, independent justice, and a more resolute international community.
Signatory Organizations:
- Justice for Human Rights (JHR) – Istanbul
- Victims of Torture – Geneva
- EFDI International – Belgium
- Alkarama for Human Rights – Geneva
- Human Rights monitor- London
- Cedar for Human Rights – Lebanon
- Tawasol for Human Rights – The Hague, Netherlands
- Free Voice for humor Rights
- Solidarity for Human Rights – Geneva
- Egyptian Rights Council – Geneva
Issued on: 30 August 2025