by The International Commission of Jurists.
This present Guide was written by Federico Andreu-Guzmán, Representative of the ICJ in South America, under the supervision of Wilder Tayler, Secretary-General of the ICJ. The Guide was written in Spanish and the translation to English was made by Katharine Hazel West and revised by Jill Heine, Senior Legal Adviser of the ICJ.
The enforced disappearance of people is one of the most odious violations of human rights. The disappeared are stripped of all their rights and placed, defenseless, at the mercy of their victimizers, with no legal protection. Its practice causes profound suffering to the family members and friends of the disappeared: the never-ending wait for their return and the total uncertainty of what really happened to them and their location constantly torments their parents, partners and children. It is considered a crime under international law, and, therefore, state authorities have the duty to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetrators and other participants.
