1 OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED

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OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMANRIGHTS COUNCIL

Distinguished Delegates and Representatives of Member States of the Human Rights Council,

The enforced disappearance of people is one of the most heinous human rights violations andconstitutes a crime under international law. The victim, deprived of all of his or her rights andplaced thereby outside the protection of the law, is relegated to a situation of total vulnerability atthe hands of the perpetrators of the crime. Enforced disappearance constitutes a grave offence tohuman dignity. Its practice inflicts severe suffering on the relatives and friends of the disappearedperson. Eternal waiting and total uncertainty about his or her return, fate and whereaboutsconstantly torture their loved ones. The abduction of children of parents subjected to enforceddisappearance, or born during the captivity of their mothers is most shameful, and constitutes aflagrant denial of human dignity. The practice of enforced disappearance violates the basicprinciples of the rule of law and the very concept of humanity itself.

Since 1981, associations of relatives of disappeared persons, non-governmental organizations,governments and international organizations have undertaken continuing and indefatigable effortsfor the adoption by the United Nations of an international treaty against enforced disappearances inorder to tackle this heinous and inhuman affliction,. The first successful step forward was theadoption in 1992 of the United Nations Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from EnforcedDisappearance. In September 2005, an Open-Ended Working Group, mandated by theCommission on Human Rights to draft an international legally binding instrument againstdisappearances, successfully concluded its negotiations and approved, by consensus, the draft of theInternational Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. Thisproject will now be under consideration by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

This Convention fills an immense gap in the international legal framework which is the lack of aninternational treaty to prevent and suppress this international crime and most serious violation ofhuman rights. The Convention will not only become an effective legal tool of the internationalcommunity in its struggle against enforced disappearances, but also represents a basically politicalmessage that this odious practice will no longer be tolerated and must be suppressed.

We therefore call on all Member States of the Human Rights Council to give the highest priority tothe approval of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from EnforcedDisappearance during the first session of the Human Rights Council in June 2006 so that it can beforwarded to the General Assembly for final adoption. The Human Rights Council will, thereby,not only greatly contribute to the struggle against enforced disappearances, but also enhance its ownmandate and show its firm determination to promote and protect human rights.

Signatures

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CARTA ABIERTA A LOS ESTADOS MIEMBROSDEL CONSEJO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LAS NACIONES UNIDAS

Señores Delegados de los Estados miembros del Consejo de Derechos Humanos

La desaparición forzada de personas es una de las más odiosas violaciones de derechos humanos yconstituye un crimen bajo el derecho internacional. El desaparecido es despojado de todos susderechos y colocado en situación de total indefensión a la merced de sus victimarios, sin ningunaprotección de la ley. La desaparición forzada constituye en sí misma la negación del ser humano. Supráctica causa hondos sufrimientos en los familiares y amigos del desaparecido: la eterna espera desu regreso y la total incertidumbre de su suerte y paradero torturan constantemente a padres,esposos e hijos del desaparecido. El robo de niños nacido durante el cautiverio de sus padresdesaparecidos es una de las prácticas más repugnantes y contraria a toda idea de humanidad. Lapráctica de la desaparición forzada vulnera los dictados más elementales de humanidad y losprincipios básicos del estado de derecho.

Frente a esta práctica odiosa e inhumana, un inmenso y sostenido esfuerzo ha sido desplegado desde1981 por asociaciones de familiares de desaparecidos, organizaciones no gubernamentales,gobiernos e instancias internacionales para lograr que un tratado contra la desaparición forzada seaadoptado por las Naciones Unidas. Una primera etapa fue la adopción por la Asamblea General delas Naciones Unidas, en 1992, de la Declaración para la protección de todas las personas contralas desapariciones forzadas. En septiembre de 2005, el Grupo de trabajo de la Comisión deDerechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas encargado de redactar un tratado contra lasdesapariciones forzadas terminó sus labores adoptando por consenso el proyecto ConvenciónInternacional para la Protección de Todas las Personas contra las Desapariciones Forzadas. Esteproyecto está ahora a consideración del Consejo de Derechos Humanos. Este proyecto deConvención viene a llenar un vacío inmenso e intolerable: la ausencia de un tratado internacionalpara luchar contra de este crimen internacional y grave violación de los derechos humanos. EstaConvención no solamente dotará a la comunidad internacional de una herramienta jurídica paraluchar efectivamente contra la desaparición forzada, sino que constituye un mensaje políticofundamental de que esta práctica odiosa no puede ser tolerada y debe ser erradicada.

Por estas razones, instamos a todos los Estados miembros del Consejo de Derechos Humanos a que,de manera prioritaria y durante su primera sesión en junio 2006, el Consejo de Derechos Humanosadopte el proyecto de Convención Internacional para la Protección de Todas las Personas contralas Desapariciones Forzadas y lo transmita a la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas para suadopción final. Con ello, el Consejo de Derechos Humanos no solamente hará una invaluablecontribución a la lucha contra las desapariciones forzadas, sino que también afirmará su mandato yvoluntad de proteger y promover los derechos humanos.

Firmas,

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LETTRE OUVERTE AUX ETATS MEMBRESDU CONSEIL DES DROITS DE L’HOMME DES NATIONS UNIES

Messieurs les Délégués des Etats membres du Conseil des droits de l’homme,

La disparition forcée de personnes est l’une des violations des droits de l’homme les plus odieuseset constitue un crime en droit international. Le disparu est privé de l’ensemble de ses droits et seretrouve sans défense et sans protection de la loi. La disparition forcée constitue en elle-même lanégation de l’être humain. Sa pratique entraîne de profondes souffrances pour les parents et lesproches du disparu : l’attente infinie du retour et l’incertitude totale quant au sort et à la localisationde la personne disparue sont une torture constante pour ses parents, son conjoint et ses enfants. Levol d’enfants nés pendant la captivité de leurs parents disparus est l’une des pratiques les plusrépugnantes, contraires à toute idée d’humanité. La pratique de la disparition forcée bafoue lesconcepts les plus élémentaires d’humanité et les principes fondateurs de l’état de droit.

Face à cette pratique odieuse et inhumaine, des efforts immenses et soutenus ont été déployésdepuis 1981 par les associations de familles de disparus, les organisations non gouvernementales,les gouvernements et les instances internationales pour parvenir à l’adoption par les Nations Uniesd’un traité contre la disparition forcée. En 1992, l’adoption par l’Assemblée générale de laDéclaration pour la protection de toutes les personnes contre les disparitions forcées fut unepremière étape. En septembre 2005, le Groupe de travail de la Commission des droits de l’hommedes Nations Unies chargé d’élaborer un traité contre les disparitions forcées a achevé son travailavec l’adoption par consensus du projet de Convention internationale pour la protection de toutesles personnes contre les disparitions forcées. Ce projet est à présent devant le Conseil des droits del’homme pour considération. Ce projet vient combler un vide juridique immense et intolérable :l’absence d’un traité international pour lutter contre ce crime international et cette violation desdroits de l’homme. Cette Convention non seulement dotera la communauté internationale d’uninstrument juridique pour lutter effectivement contre la disparition forcée, mais constitue égalementun message politique fondamental pour exprimer que cette pratique odieuse ne saurait être tolérée etdoit être éradiquée.

Ce sont les raisons pour lesquelles nous prions instamment tous les Etats membres du Conseil desdroits de l’homme de faire en sorte que, de manière prioritaire pendant sa première session en juin2006, le Conseil des droits de l’homme adopte le projet de Convention internationale pour laprotection de toutes les personnes contre les disparitions forcées et le transmette à l’Assembléegénérale des Nations Unies pour son adoption finale. Ce faisant, le Conseil des droits de l’hommeapportera une contribution essentielle à la lutte contre les disparitions forcées et affirmeraégalement son mandat et sa volonté de protéger et de promouvoir les droits de l’homme.

Signatures :

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PUBLIC PERSONALITIES

Name Country OccupationSir Nigel Rodley United

KingdomProfessor at the University of Essex, Chair,Human Rights Centre,Member of UN Committee on Human RightsFormer UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

Robert Badinter France Senator, former President of the ConstitutionalCourt, former Minister of Justice, One of the 5experts appointed by the Secretary-General on theUnited Nations reform

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Argentina Nobel Peace Prize 1980

Simone Veil France Member of the Constitutional Council,Former Minister of Health,Former President of the European Parliament

Manfred Nowak Austria Professor, Director of Ludwiz Boltzmann Institutefor Human RightsUN Special Rapporteur on TortureFormer member of the UN Working Group onEnforced and Involuntary Disappearance

Louis Joinet France Honorary Magistrate at the Cour de cassationUnited Nations Independent expert on the humanrights situation in Haïti, former chairman of theWorking Group on Arbitrary Detention

Eduardo Galeano Uruguay Writer

Noam Chomsky United States ofAmerica

Writer

Juan Guzmán Chile Judge

Dr Marta R. Zabaleta UnitedKingdom

Honorary Visiting Senior LecturerLatin American Development and GenderedCultural Studies School of Arts MiddlesexUniversity

Leo Zwaak Netherlands Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute ofHuman Rights (SIM)Senior University Lecturer of Utrecht University

Felipe González Chile Director of Human Rights Programme, Universityof Diego Portales

Emmanuel Decaux France Professor of International Law, University ofPanthéon-Assas (Paris II), member of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection ofHuman Rights

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Name Country OccupationCommission on the Promotion and Protection ofHuman Rights

Patricia Verdugo Chile Journalist and writer, Laureate of the nationaljournalism prize, Candidate to the Nobel PeacePrize in 2005

Mirta Clara Argentina Nomination Nobel Peace Prize

John Dugard South Africa Professor of Public International Law, Universityof Leiden, UN Special Rapporteur on theSituations of Human Rights in PalestinianTerritories Occupied since 1967

Mónica Pinto Argentina Professor of International Law, University ofBuenos Aires, Former United United NationsIndependent Expert on the human rights situationin Guatemala and Chad

Atty. Sedfrey CandelariaAtty. Carlos P. Medina

Philippines Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson MonitoringCommittee for the Republic of the Philippinespeace process between the Republic of thePhilippines and the National Democratic Front

Carlo Russo Italy Professor of International Human Rights Law atthe University of Milan, former President of theEuropean Court of Human Rights.

Victor Abramovich Argentina Professor of Law of University of Buenos AiresCommissioner of the Inter-American Commissionon Human Rights

Fernando Mariño-Menéndez

Spain Professor of International LawMember and Former President of the UNCommittee Against Torture

Marco Scarpati, Italy Lawyer, Professor of International Human RightsProtection Law at the University of Milano-BicoccaPresident of the NGO ECPAT-Italy (End ChildProstitution, Child, Pornography and Traffickingof Children for Sexual Purposes')

Robert K. Goldman USA Former President of the Inter-AmericanCommission on Human RightsFormer UN Independent Expert on Counter-terrorism and Human Rights

Alcira B. Bonilla Argentina Professor in charge of the department ofphilosophy at the University of Buenos Aires,Researcher at the CONICET, Director of the“Human rights, migration and participation”programme.

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Name Country OccupationResearcher at the CONICET, Director of the“Human rights, migration and participation”programme.

Atty. Harry Roque, Philippines Director, Institute of International Legal StudiesLaw Center, College of Law University of thePhilippinesProfessor of Public International Law,Contemporary Developments in International Law

Diane Orentlicher United States ofAmerica

Professor of Law, Co-Director of the Centre forHuman Rights and Humanitarian LawDirector of the Crimes Research Office atAmerican University, Washington College of LawFormer UN Independent Expert on Impunity

Carlos Villán-Duran Spain President of the Spanish Association for theDevelopment and the Implementation of HumanRights (AEDIH)

Dr. Salvador María Lozada Argentina Professor of Law, Honorary PresidentInternational Association of Constitutionalists

Selma Leydesdorff Netherlands Professor of Arts Religion Culture oral history andculture, University of AmsterdamDirector of Belle van Zuylen Institute

Luigi Condorelli Italy Professor of International Law at the Faculty ofLaw of the University of FlorenceHonorary Professor at the University ofGeneva

Claudia Martin Argentina Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Academyon Human Rights and Humanitarian Law,Washington College of Law, American University(USA)

Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón Colombia Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Academyon Human Rights and Humanitarian Law,Washington College of Law, American University(USA)

Germán F. Westphal United States ofAmerica

University of Maryland

Loreta Ann P. RosalesAna Theresa H. Baraquel

Philippines Party List - AKBAYAN House ofRepresentatives

Ingrid de Jong Argentina Anthropologist

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Name Country Occupation

Helen Marie Zout ArgentinaSwitzerland

Photographer, Professor and Researcher in humanrights issues

Luis Alberto Dubra Varela Sweden Journalist, member of the Green Party

Dra. Lourdes Uranga López Mexico Professor at the autonomous University ofChapingo, member of Culture, Labor andDemocracy A:C.

Francois Gèze France General Director, “La Découverte” Publishers

Dr. Jonko Jotov Bulgaria Secretary General of the Bulgarian Commission ofJurists - Section of the ICJ, President of theBulgarian Association of the Club of Rome,Professor at the Bulgarian University for Nationaland World Economy (Sofia)

Slepoy Prada CarlosLuis GalánManuel OlléJuan Puig de la BellacasaCarmen LamarcaJaime Sanz de Bremond

Argentina andSpain

Criminal lawyers representing victims beforeSpanish tribunals in the criminal procedures forcrimes against humanity committed in Argentinaduring the military regime

Dra. Janine Puget Argentina Psychoanalyst in Buenos Aires, founding memberof the Argentinean Association of Psychology andPsychotherapy in Group (AAPPG)

Dra. Ana María Figueroa Argentina Doctor in Law, Professor of Constitutional Lawand Hman Rights, Coordinator at the legaldepartment of the human rights secretary, Ministryof Justice and Human Rights

Merriam Ferrer Philippines Professor in Political Science, University ofPhilippines, co-chair of the non-state actorsWorking Group of the international campaign toban landmines.

Rene Sarmiento Philippines Professor at the College of Law of PolytechnicUniversity, Former Deputy Presidential Advisoron the Peace Process, Commissioner to theComission on Elections (COMELEC)

Dr. M. A. Hasan Bangladesh Convener the war crimes fact finding committee

Suciwati Munir Indonesia Member of the Committee of Action in Solidaritywith Munir, Chair of the Solidarity Network ofFamilies of Victims (JSKK), 2005 Asian hero,Time Asia

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Name Country Occupation

Leopoldo H. Schiffrin Argentina Judge at the Federal Chamber of Appeal of LaPlata

Jean Rossiaud Switzerland Member of Parliament of GenevaSwiss delegate of Swiss Greens to the EuropeanGreen Party

Patrice Mugny Switzerland Administratif Council, City of Geneva

Olga Weisfeiler United States ofAmerica

Neuroscience researcher and sister of the onlydisappeared US citizen in Chile, Boris Weisfeiler

Anna Weisfeiler United States ofAmerica

Congressional and Governmental Outreach, Nieceof Boris Weisfeiler

Liliana Esther Perez andHugo Antonio Blasco

Argentina Comisión por la Memoria Militante de Necochea

André Gluksmann France Philosopher

Adam Michnik Poland Editor in chief “Gazeta Vybortza”

Rupert Neudeck Germany Writer, President of the “Casques verts” andFounder of the NGO Cap Anamur

Daniel Cohn-Bendit France Member of the European Parliament

Bernard Henry-Lévy France Philosophe

Pierre Daix France Writer

Elisabeth Badinter France Writer

Pascal Bruckner France Writer

Tahar Ben Jelloun Morocco Writer

Marina Valenisse Italy Journalist “Il foglio”

Ulricke Ackermann Germany Writer

Pierre Hassner France Professor, philosophy graduate of the ÉcoleNormale Supérieure. Lecturer in internationalrelations and the history of political thought at theInstitut d'Études Politiques of Paris and at theEuropean Center of Johns Hopkins University inBologna

Ramin Parham Iranian analyst

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Name Country OccupationHans Christoph Buch Germany Writer

Adam Gopnick United States ofAmerica

Journalist for the New Yorker

Franco Debenetti Italy Senator

Jacques Rupnik France Professor at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques

Gary Schmitt United States ofAmerica

Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Valery Pavlov RussianFederation

Russian-Belarusian Human Rights Commission

Michael H. Haltzel United States ofAmerica

Senior Foreign Policy to Senator Joseph Biden

Hossein Bagher Zadeh UnitedKingdom

Human Rights Defender

Zuzana Szatmary Slovakia Woman of Europe 1993

Andrej Sabik Slovakia Lawyer

Martin Giertl Slovakia Lawyer

Edmund Mc Williams United States ofAmerica

Retired Senior US Foreign Service Officer

Elisabeth van der Linden Netherlands Associate Professor University of Amsterdam

Victoria Azad Iran Political and women’s rights activist

Véronique Nahoum-Grappe France Professor of Social Sciences

Heiko Pääbo Estonia Director of the Prometheus Program, EuroCollege,University of Tartu

Julio Víctor Reboredo, Argentina Judge of the Federal Appeal Court in La Plata,creator of the “truth trials“ (juicios de la verdad)

Alejandro Incháuregui Argentina Forensic anthropologist; Director of the Registryof Dissapeared Persons of the Ministry of Securityof Buenos Aires Province; founder of the ForensicAnthropology Team (Equipo de AntropologíaForense

José Bengoa Chile Professor of Anthropology, Universidad Academiade Humanismo Cristiano, Santiago, Member of theUN Sub-Commission on the Promotion andProtection of Human Rights

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NGO’s

Family member organisations

Organisation Country/region Name signatory FunctionFEDEFAM Latin America

Asian Federation AgainstInvoluntary Disappearances(AFAD)

Asia Mary Aileen D.Bacalso

Secretary-General

Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo Guatemala Mario Polanco

We Remember Belarus Irina Krazovskaya President

Committee of Parents ofDisappeared People inLebanon

Lebanon Wadad halwani President

Forum Asia Thailand Mr. Anselmo Lee Executive Director

APDP Kashmir, India Parvez Imroz Patron

Families of Victims ofInvoluntary Disappearance(FIND)

Philippines Nilda L. Sevilla, Director

Asociación Abuelas de Plazade Mayo

Argentina Estela de Carlotto President

Collective of families of thedisappeared in Algeria (CFDA)

France- Algeria Nassera Dutour Co-Chairperson

Truth and Justice Commission Pakistan Farooq Niazi Coordinator

The Commission for TheDisappeared andVictims of Violence(KONTRAS)

Indonesia Sri Suparyati President

Asociación de Familiares deDetenidos Desaparecidos yVictimas de Violaciones a losDerechos Humanos en México(AFADEM).

México Tita Radilla Martínez Vicepresident

Breaking the Walls of Silence Namibia Pauline Dempers Director

IKOHI Indonesia Mugiyanto Chairperson

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Association of the Children ofthe Disappeared

Philippines Celia Sevilla Coordinator

Organization of Parents andFamily Members of theDisappeared

Sri Lanka Shantha Pathirana

Asociación de familiares deniñas y niños desaparecidos,Pro-Búsqueda

El Salvador Gladis Dalessandro deLabolita

Comisión de Familiares yAmigos de los Desaparecidos yVíctimas del terrorismo deEstado de Las Flores

Argentina

Comité de Madres MonseñorOscar Arnulfo Romero(COMADRES)

El Salvador

Comité de Familiares deDetenidos Desaparecidos(COFADEH)

Honduras

Comité de Familiares deDetenidos DesaparecidosHéctor Gallegos(COFADEHG)

Panama

Grupo Tortura Nunca Más BrazilZhian Organization for AnfalWomen

Iraq Juan Hassan

Gongadse Foundation Ukraine Miroslava Gogadze PresidentVictims of War Chechnya Zainap Jambekava

International NGOs

Organisation Name signatory FunctionInternational Commission ofJurists

Nicholas Howen Secretary-General

Human Rights Watch Wilder Tayler Legal and Policy Director

Amnesty International Peter Splinter Representative to the United Nationsin Geneva

International Federation forHuman Rights (FIDH)

Sidiki Kaba President

Association for the Preventionof Torture

Mark Thomson Secretary General

Franciscans International John Quigley Executive Director

Dominicans for Justice andPeace

Phihlippe Le Blanc Director

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PeaceInternational HelsinkiFederation for Human Rights

Aaron Rhodes Director

Human Rights Watch Wilder Tayler Legal and Policy Director

International Service for HumanRights

Chris Sidoti Director

International AssociationAgainst Torture (AICT)

Fernando Ruiz Permanent representative for UN

Forum Asia Anselmo Lee Executive Director

World Organisation AgainstTorture (OMCT)

Eric Sottas Director

Geneva for Human Rights Adrien-Claude Zoller President

Regional and National organisations

Organisations Country/region Name signatory Function

Institut des Droits del’Homme du Barreau deParis

France

Association "Jardin desDisparus" de Meyrin

Switzerland Christian Viret President

Humanist Committee onHuman Rights (HOM)

Netherlands Martha Meijer Director

Réseau mondial desolidarité des mères,épouses, soeurs, filles,proches de personnesenlevées et disparues

Belgique Brigitte Kaquet

Initiative d’entraide auxlibertés

France Stéphane Michot President

Center for Justice andInternational Law (CEJIL)

America Viviana Krsticevic Director

Colombian Commissionof Jurists

Colombia Gustavo Gallón Director

La Comisión Mexicana deDefensa y Promoción delos Derechos Humanos,A.C. (CMDPDH)

Mexico Fabián Sánchez Matus Director General

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Organisations Country/region Name signatory FunctionA.C. (CMDPDH)

Sallam center forawarness and civil society

Iraq Mohammad ShowkatKowthar

Volunteer, TiananmenMothers CampaignGroup

Hong Kong Virginia Lai

Asamblea Permanente porlos Derechos Humanos

Argentina Horacio Ravenna

Sindicato de Serviciospublicos

Switzerland David Andenmatten

Red Nacional por LaIdentidad, de Abuelas dePlaza de Mayo

Argentina Judit Casco

Union of politicalprisoners and Martyers inIraq (UPPI)

Iraq Dr Ahmed al- attar

NJCM Netherlands Otto Vos President

The Arab Center for theIndependence of Judiciaryand Legal Profession(ACIJLP)

Nasser Amin Director General

IFFAMPAC USA Jane E. Durgom-Powers President & Founder

CODACOP Colombia Janneth Lozano Director

Coordinadora de ExPresas y Presos Póliticosde Santiago

Chile Fernando Esteban

Task Force Detainees ofthe Philippines

Philippines Sr. Cres Lucero Executive Director

Fundación para laEducación y el Desarrollo-FEDES-

Colombia

Al Fatihah Foundation Philippines Jolly S. Lais Deputy ExecutiveDirector

Roger Bouka Owoko Congo Observatoire congolaisdes droits de l’Homme(OCDH)

Executive Director

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Organisations Country/region Name signatory FunctionAsociación Civil Misionde Paz

Argentina Lic. Víctor Martínez - President

Grupo Tortura NuncaMais

Brazil Silveira e Silva President

Foro Social Catamarca Argentina Gabriela Velasco

OMI, General Directoratefor Justice, Peace &Integrity of Creation

Philippines Eliseo "Jun" Mercado, Director

La Fundación ServiciosIntegrales para la Mujer SIMUJER

Colombia

India Committee of TheNetherlands

Netherlands Gerard Oonk Director

Coalition AgainstInvoluntaryDisappearance

Philippines Raquel Santos Lead Convenor

Comité Chileno por losderechos humanos

Chile Eliana Cielo

Comité Latinoamericanocon la RevoluciónBolivariana

Spain Ramón Martínez

General Coordinator

Corporación Compromiso Colombia Jorge Catellanos Pulido Executive Director

Centro de Estudios yTalleres Laborales

México Higinio Barrios

Centro de Investigación yDocumentación Chile-América Latina (FDCL)

Germany Jan Dunkhorst Director

Coalition for theInternational CriminalCourt Asia

Philippines Evelyn Serrano Asia Coordinator

Por Asociación Civil "ElPeriscopio" de Ex PresosPolíticos de la Cárcel deCoronda, Argentina,1974-79

Argentina Luis Ortolani President

Fundacion Tierrpatria Colombia Ofelia Castillo Perez Director

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Asociación Ciudadana porlos Derechos Humanos

Argentina Sebastian Florindo

La Corporación OpciónLegal

Colombia Raul Hernandez R Director

Mouvement SOLIDA France Wadih AL-ASMAR Director

International Bureau forthe Respect of HumanRights in SaharaOccidental (BIRDHSO)

Western Sahara Christian Viret President

Nunca Mas Organization Argentina

ASADHO Congo Golden Misabiko Honorary President

Solidarian Network forHuman Rights (REDH)

Argentina Carlos D. Perez Director

Secretaria de derechoshumanos de CTANacional

Argentina Ricardo Peidro Secretary

Philrights Philippines Prof. Nymia Simbulan Exec. Director

Abogados defensores dederechos humanos deMendoza

Argentina Carlos Varela Alvarez University Profesor,specialised ininternational law

Moluccan Human RightsOrganization "MalukuMasa Depan "

Netherlands

Nel Pattinama Supervisor

Kaalagad Philippines Fr. Ben Moraleda Convenor andNationalSpokesperson

Festival Voix de Femmes Belgique Brigitte Kaquet Director

Corporación para la VidaMujeres que Crean

Colombia Leonor Esguerra Director

La Liga Internacional deMujeres por la Paz y laLibertad (LIMPAL)

Colombia

La Fundación DosMundos

Colombia

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ASODESAMUBA(asociación dedesplazados acentados enel municipio debarrancabermeja)

Spain Lili Pena

Equipo de Justicia y Pazde Familia Dominicana

Argentina María Alejandra OP

JUPIC (Justicia y Paz eIntegridad de la Creación

Argentina Juan Yahdjian.

ESCR Asia Philippines Resurrecion Lao Executive Director

Fundacion Investigacion ydefensa legal (FIDELA)

Argentina Dra. Liliana Mazea Secretary General

Corporaciòn Vamos Mujer Colombia Olga lucìa Ramìrez R.

Center for Legal andSocial Studies (CELS)

Argentina Gastón Chillier Director

CTERA, Secretaria deIgualdad de Género yOportunidades

Argentina María Cristina Ercoli

Prensa Derecho al laverdad

Peru

Iglesia EvangélicaMisionera de la SantidadVIDA NUEVA

Argentina Daniel Perrone Pastor

La Fundación DiegoLucero, A.C.

Mexico Blanca Hernández Díaz. President

Women’s Institute ofJudicial and Social Studies

Argentina

Asociacion para laRecostruccion HistoricaArgentina (ARHISTA)

Argentina Beatriz Pfeiffer

Oficina de derechos yGarantías de la Niñez, laAdolescencia y Familia

Argentina Licenciado ClaudioFernandez

Director

Asociación Civil Generar Argentina Viviana Caminos

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Grupo de mujeres deArgentina

Argentina Martha Miravete Cicero

Instituto de Salud Pública Spain Marijose Perez Jarauta Head of the HealthPromotion section

Asamblea permanente dederechos humanos deRosario

Argentina Norma Ríos

Asamblea Permanente porlos Derechos Humanos LaPlata

Argentina Berta Fridman,

Nilo Valerio Foundation Philippines Daisy Valerio Executive Director

SobrevivientesAutoconvocados expresospoliticos

Argentina Lic. Cecilio ManuelSalguero

Writer

Red Intra Postmurosderechos humanosinternacional

Nicaragua Carlos Martínez

Razionar DDHH Moreno Argentina Gladis Beatriz Villalba

Asociación prof. decentros de atenciónprimaria San Fernando

Argentina Marta Marquez Secretary General

Center for PeaceEducation

Phillipines Loreta N. Castro Director

Pedro Milesi Foundation Argentina Susana Fiorito President

Philippine Alliance ofHuman Rights Advocates

Philippines Renato Mabunga Secretary General

Diocese of Illigan Philippines Fr. Ramon Fruto ApostolicAdministrator

Balay RehabilitationCenter

Philippines Arnold MAria Board Member

Non-ViolenceInternational

Thailand Alfredo Ferrariz RegionalRepresentative

Ateneo Human RightsCenter

Philippines Carlos P. Medina Jr. Head

Eine Welt Forum Aachen Germany María Elena BayolaMovimiento de Víctimasde Crímenes de Estado deColombia

Colombia Liliana Romero Secretary

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Organisations Country/region Name signatory FunctionYayasan Pulih Indonesia Vitria Lazzarini PsychologistKASUM Indonesia Suciwati MemberPEC Indonesia Garda Sembiring ChairpersonVoice of Human Rights Indonesia Janti Deputy DirectorIMPARSIAL Indonesia Junaidi ResearcherICMC Indonesia/Switzer

landTheodora S. Program Officer

KASBI Indonesia Mundo International OfficerBERGERAK Indonesia Alam MemberCC GKST Poso Indonesia Jimmy Methusala MemberLPS HAM CentralSulawesi

Indonesia Athenk Member

SBMI Indonesia M. Chairul Hadi ResearcherLS-ADI Indonesia Bagus Network officerCenter for the Study ofViolence adReconciliation (CSVR)

South-Africa Polly Dewhirst Project Manager

La casa por la memoria yla cultura popular

Argentina Susana Munoz President

Liberpueblo Argentina Darío LagosEATIP ArgentinaPhilippinenbureau Philipppines Philip Bueck Executive OfficerEncuentro EcuménicoJuan Vives (ECUVIVES)

Venezuela

Asociación Pro DerechosHumanos

Peru Francisco Soberon Director

Libyan League for HumanRights

Libya

La Coalición contra laImpunidad de Nuremberg

Germany Esteban Cuya

Ayuda Medica paraRefugiados

Germany Bianca Schmolze

Law and Trust Society Sri Lanka Ramani Muttetuwegama SecretaryCenter for Human RightsDevelopments (CHRD)

Sri Lanka N. Kandasany Secretary

Inform Sri Lanka Sunila Abeysekara DirectorSisters of the Holy Familyof Bordeaux

Philippines Eithne Hughes

Institute of Political adElectoral Reforms

Philippines Ramon Casiple Executive Director

Servicio Jesuita aRefugiados

Colombia Juan Manuel Bustillo

Project on TransitionalDemocracies

United States ofAmerica

Bruce Jackson President

Foundation named afterGennady Karpenko

Germany Ludmila Karpenko President

Network of ChineseHuman Rights Defenders

Renee Xia InternationalCoordinator

Uyghur AmericanAssociation


Rebiya Kadeer President

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Organisations Country/region Name signatory FunctionLa Fondazione Liberal Italy Ferdinando Adornato PresidentCzech Euro-AtlanticCouncil

Czech Republic Alexandir Vondra

Civil Initiative “Freedomfor political prisoners”

Belarus Igor Marinich Founder

LTD “Ecodom” Belarus Irina KaparihaNational Entrepreneurs’Strike Committee

Belarus Levonesky Valery Chairman

“Cap Anamur” Germany Rupert Neudeck FounderInternet Community Belarus Pavel Morozov CoordinatorSolidarité Chine France Marie Holzman PresidentHelsinki Citizens’Assembly-Vanadzor

Armenia Arthur Sakunts Coordinator

Human Rights Movement“Our Belarus”

Belarus Igor Lednik Coordinator

Analytical Center onGlobalization and regionalCooperation

Armenia Stepan Grigoryan andArmen Grigoryan

Chairman of theBoard andPresident

CanigetarightInternational

The Netherlands Wout Albers President

European Strategy Group Ukraine Dmytro Potekhin DirectorBelarusian HelsinkiCommittee

Belarus Oleg Hulak Executive Director

Legal Assistance toPopulation

Belarus Raisa Mikhailovskaya Executive Director

Reach to RecoveryInternational

Belarus Irina Kozulina Committee member

International Non-GovernmentalHumanitarian Fund“Chechens” Historical-Cultural Heritage

Chechnya Vatchagaev Mairbek Director

Free Theater Belarus Natalia KoliadaNikalai Halezin

DirectorCoordinator

West Papua AdvocacyTeam


Edmund McWilliams

Innovational Foundationof Legal Technologies

Belarus Elena Tonkacheva Director

Union of Belarusian inGermany

Germany Jaugen Murashka Chairperson

Party of Freedom andProgress

Belarus Vladimir Novosiad

Union for Support ofDemocracy in Belarus

Poland Antos Cialezhnikau Chair

The Charta 777Foundation

Slovakia Zuzana Szatmary Director

Secular Progress YouthAssociation

Azerbaijan Elgun Taghiyev Deputy Chairman

Human Rights Students’Initiative CEU

Hungary Hanna Asipovich ProgrammeCoordinator

20

Organisations Country/region Name signatory FunctionBrandon Worldwide France Bernard Corcos PresidentBelarusian Center Belgium Kroupiansky Eduard ChairFederation ofOrganizations of EasternEuropean Countries-Platform “ Solidarity”

Belgium Galina Matushina Chair

Union of Belarusianabroad

Czech Republic Auhien Sidoryk Chair

Union of BelarusianCulture in Lithuania

Lithuania Fiodor Niunka Chair

Council for Coordinationof Private Entrepreneurs

Belarus Dmitrovich Anatoliy Chair

Civil Initiative“Dobroslov”

Belarus Oleg Volchek Chair

Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo(GAM)

Guatemala Noemy Bran

Instituto de EstudiosComparados en CienciasPenales de Guatemala

Guatemala Claudia Paz

SEDEM Guatemala Iduvina HernándezWeltladen UnterwegsMainz

Germany Dr. Konstanze Weltner

CIDEP El Salvador Mario PaniaguaAstram El Salvador Mauricio AlvarengaCODEFAM El Salvador María Elena MezaMIM Peru Helmer MedianaCaucasus Center for PeaceInitiatives

Armenia Georgi Vanyan Chairman

Center for Strategic &International Studies

USA Alina Tourkova Research Assistant(Russia & EurasiaProgram)

Hong Kong Confederationof Trade Unions

Hong Kong Elizabeth Tang Chief Executive

China Labour Bulletin Hong Kong Robin Munro Research Director

21

Other concerned individuals

Vanesa Cattaneo, lawyer, ArgentinaGriselda Veiga, former political prisoner in ArgentinaAnne Demetz, Avocat au Barreau de Paris, FranceMaximo Kinast Aviles, human rights activist, SpainIbrahim Dagane Ali, Phd Administrator, Hiran University Belet-weyne, SomaliaJuan Carlos Villarreal, writer and journalist, ArgentinaInna Yeranosyan.Mrs. Mercedez Contreras – Danenberg, Principal, Laguna Bel Air School, PhilippinesEduardo Puch, psychiatristLilia Inés Sierra, anthropologist, ArgentinaSusana Beatriz Ojeda, lawyer, ArgentinaDiana Goldman Weiss, Jerusalem, IsraelHans Michael Furchbrich, nurse, BelgiumMercedes Depino, political scientist, ArgentinaPaula Zambelli, professor of art history, ArgentinaMarcela Rebojo, profesor of philosophy and education, ArgentinaHéctor Ibarra Chávez, history graduate, MéxicoSylvie Frieri, Geneva Hospital employee, SwitzerlandMario Frioeri, Geneva Hospital employee, SwitzerlandRosa KuglerMaría Gabriela PomboBetina BenderskyMaría Silvia Villaverde, ArgentinaPascal Baumgartner, filmmaker, SwitzerlandCristina Gamba, teacher, ArgentinaAbel Robino artistAlberto Marani, psychologistMs. La Rainne Sarmento, Local Government Unit Officer, PhilippinesGabriela Bomchil, ArgentinaNora B. MaggiSandra RossiHna. Mónica Beatriz LuceroAdriana Teresa de Lucio, AgentinaManuel Pedreira ArentinaGladys Raquel BeneitezMs. Carol Peteros, Board Member, Balay Rehabilitation Center, PhilippinesMariana Vaiana, journalistErnesto Arellano, artistCamila DaroquiJuan Magariños de MorentinDavid Arnaldo Leiva, human rights lawyer, ArgentinaMargarita L. BianconiCarlos López De Belva. lawyer. ArgentinaRita Rzezak, psychologist, ArgentinaGraciela Mercedes Bertolotto, journalist, ArgentinaLaura E. Figueroa, human rights lawyer, ArgentinaJuan Alberto AndreoneAlicia Jardel, Professor, BélgicaRosario Filiberto, Uruguay

22

Octavio Carsen, lawyer, ArgentinaPatricio Emilio Torne, writer, ArgentinaMr. Tony Villasor, ACFOD, PhilippinesLicia V. PagnamentoSonia Hôet, ArgentinaSusana Munarriz, relative of Argentinean disappeared, CanadaGraciela Ramos, ArgentinaHilda Nora PresmanJorge Jiménez, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorJuan García Melara, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorAna Daysi Villalobos, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorHugo Roger Martínez, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorJosé Cristóbal Hernández, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorCarlos Castaneda, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorDarío Chicas, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorJorge Ricardo Cruz, Representative, Congress of El SalvadorA. Mercedes Puca, ArgentinaPaula Medina, Sub-editor Revista Max MéxicoEulalia Rosales, Professor, St. Scholastica College, Mla, PhilippinesCalos Alejandro Tosini ArgentinaMaria Magdalena D`AndreaRita País, Red por el Derecho a la Identidad, ArgentinaCristina Fraire, Photographer, ArgentinaMaria del Carmen Sillato, CanadaStella Maris Zaffaroni, UruguayCarlos Needleman, ArgentinaEnriqueta del Carmen Carrero Contreras Researcher and Professor, Universidad PedagógicaExperimental "Libertador", VenezuelaOlga NughesMaría Ester Cobe, ArgentinaHugo Alberto Boiero, physician, ArgentinaAlejandra Giselle Schwartz, ArgentinaMarina Electra BarbagelataDr. Bernardo Borenholtz ArgentinaGabriel Abayú, human rights activistArgelia Quero Reyes, PanamáDr. Adriana SpahrUlrich Boje, GermanyLaura Inés Ramos, Lawyer ODG (Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización)Cristina Bartolucci, ArgentinaGloria Beretervide, journalistDr. Maximiliano Ricardo Videla, ArgentinaLiliana Lamovsky, ArgentinaRodolfo Amado Sobko, ArgentinaEdith Silvera, ArgentinaMarcelo Emilio Brigante, sound engineer, ArgentinaNidia Saavedra, ArgentinaSilvia Dia, ArgentinaAna Oberlín, lawyer "HIJOS", plaintiff in numerous human rights casesHernán Schapiro, Secretary of the Federal Prosecution in La Plata, which investigates crimesagainst humanity, Argentina

23

Juan Nogueira, Secretary of, which investigates crimes against humanity carried out duringArgentina’s last military dictatorship, ArgentinaEdgardo Salatino, Secretary of Federal Court Nº3 in La Plata, ArgentinaInti Nahuel Perez Aznar, Officer at Federal Court Nº3 in La Plata, ArgentinaHelen Zout, photographer, professor and researcher on human rightsMaría Isabel Chorobik de Mariani, President of Fundación Anahí, founder and former President ofAbuelas de Plaza de Mayo.Ataulfo Pérez Aznar, photographerMario Coriolano, Public Defender in Cassation, Buenos Aires Province, ArgentinaIris Carolina Sosa Pérez, MexicoAlphonse Bruyndonckx An VandenhoveChristine List, Chicago State UniversityNora Catolico, Macalester CollegePayton List, Southern Illinois UniversityEmilia Elena Alavarado, Universidad de El SalvadorMargarita E. Salazar, Universidad de El SalvadorKarla Salazar, Universidad de El SalvadorVicky Molina, Universidad de El SalvadorHilda Noemy González, Universidad de El SalvadorRafael Armando Calderón, El SalvadorSusana E. Bonilla, Universidad de El SalvadorCarmen Peña, El SalvadorFernando Córdova, PeruEdgar Rivadeneyra, PeruJuan Jara Berros, journalist, PeruHumberto Huamán, PeruFéliz Cuicapusa, PeruZeneida Fernández, PeruNataly Cherepansky, USAIgor Kovelevich, BelarusValentina Logunova, BelarusElena Kostyuchenko, BelarusJan Matusyak, RussiaAnastasiya Chystsiakova, BelarusMarc S. Dalbos, FranceGilbert Lidsey, BelarusViktor LazerkoDelphine PallierViacheslav ArikanovKhusein TsjokajevWalter Stankievich, publisher of the Belarussian ReviewAlyiaksei Aheyenka, BelgiumAleh AheyenkaOleg Shafranov, BelarusPavlovna Bogdanova Kapitolina, RussiaTadeusz Felixovich Gawin, BelarusArash Mandavi, NorwayShiva Budaghzadeh, NorwayMahin Zonusi, NorwayMehdi Moghadam, NorwayElena Zubets, Belarus

24

Julia Goryachenkova, BelarusLodewijk Smoor, NetherlandsPavel Tolkachiov, BelarusEkaterina Makarenko, BelarusAndre Donine, BelarusValeriya Krasovskaya, BelarusPolina Stolyarova, BelarusEogr Titenko, BelarusGalina Skuratovitch, FinlandValere Dmitriev, BelarusMikhail Voitovich, historian, BelarusDenis Murugin, translator, BelarusAndrei Tolchin, BelarusEkaterina Tolchina, BelarusViktor Sivuha, programmer, BelarusArkady Cherepansky, international broadcaster, USAAles Koba, businessman, BelarusKiryl Nieviarouski, BelarusTatianya Poshevalova, BelarusIvetta Cherepansky, database manager, USAEvgeny Bobrik, architect, BelarusVasil Ignatenko, Belarussian Social Democratic Party member, BelgiumOleg Alkaew, former officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, GermanyElseline de Maar, physician, NetherlandsMikhail Matusevich, BelarusDiana Marcela Prada Betancourt, civil engineer, ColombiaTatiyana Koupriyanchik, journalist, BelarusAndrei Kolenchits, programmer, BelarusÁngela Buitrago, business administrator, ColombiaEvgenia Semakina, RussiaNataly Cherepansky, USAIgor Kovalevich, accountant, BelarusLogunova Valentine Dmitrievna, BelarusElena Nikolaevna Kostuchenko, BelarusAnastasiya Chystsiakova, BelarusIan Vladimirovich Matusiak, engineer, RussiaLise Faron, FranceAlexandr Anatolievich Desukevich, economist, BelarusValery Kovalevsky, BelarusS. Pulsha, BelarusKaren Robertovich Akopov, BelarusSue-Ann Harding, researcherRoman Umarov, BelarusBarys Praducha, NetherlandsSvetalana Praducha, NetherlandsViktar Akotchik, NetherlandsLiavon Sadouski, BelgiumNadzeja Sadouski, BelgiumEkaterina Nikiphorova, Young Front, BelgiumDenis Konstantinovich, programmer, BelarusIgor Lazarcuk, Belgium

25

Elena Lazarcuk, BelgiumSvetlana Vladimirovna Dovgosheia, programmer engineer, BelarusHans Dubois, Bocconi University, ItalyClaudia Ditman, Staudheim, GermanyGeorgiy Adamovich Cherevako, BelarusElena Nikolaevna Zankovets, journalist, BelarusIvan Zhukovskiy, BelarusDmitriy Nikolaevich Kohonovich, programmer, BelarusNikolai Pavlovich Vlasov, programme engineer, BelarusAlexei Vitalievich Volobyev, engineer, BelarusLubov Dergacheva, teacher, BelarusAlexandr Dergachev, lawyer, BelarusAnastasia Dergacheva, BelarusAnton Nikolaevich Agarov, BelarusZmitser Viktaravich Garachka, programmer, BelarusDmitry Stepanovich Pruss, entrepreneur, BelarusDenis Igorevich, BelarusBabareka Siarzhuk, artist, defender of Freedom Square in Minsk in March 2006, BelarusTatiana Grigorievna Vasilieva, BelarusAnna Viktorovna Shaputko, BelarusViktor Alexandrovich Shaputko, BelarusAlexandr Viktorovich Shaputko, BelarusNaniana Viktorovna Shaputko, BelarusVadim Gennadievich Gaidalenok, manager, BelarusAlexandr Vladimirovich Bondarchuk, BelarusAlexander Ivanovich Shurko, BelarusBoris Anatolievich Kravchuk, BelarusAles Shpakousky, Belarussian refugee, BelgiumMarina Valerievna Shavruk, BelarusRoman Michailovich Samolienko, entrepreneur, BelarusOleg Mihailovich Gaevsky, BelarusIgor Alexandrovich Lednik, entrepreneur, BelarusSergei A. Chernooki, telecommunications engineer, CCNP, BelarusNikolai Petushkov, CSI Minsk / Issoft, BelarusJulia Eduardovna Voitkevich, translator, BelarusAndrey yakush, programmer, BelarusDmitiy Alexandrovich Philippov, teacher, BelarusVitally Olegovich Sazanavich, programmer, BelarusAnna Sergeevna Kaleinik, programmer, BelarusOlga Shparaga, professor, editor www.belintellectuals.com, BelarusPavel Jurivich Severin, programmer, BelarusOlga Anatolievna Bakun, technical writer, BelarusGrigoriy Anatolovich Tisetsky, playwriter, BelarusArtsiom Hasianku, Czech RepublicRoman Hjakovlevsky, journalist, BelarusAlexei Vladimirivirsh Drik, BelarusNikalai Viacheslavovich Timpopheev, translator, BelarusJilia Evgenievna Eliseeva, CUNY Law SchoolAndrey Evgenievich Baranov, BelarusSergei Korchinsky, engineer, BelarusNadezda Viktorovna Batura, Belarus

26

Pavel Alexandrovich Ivanov, programme engineer, BelarusJonatan Crock, International Republican Institute, USAIwona Sadowska, Gergetown University teacher, USARivon KrygierMaureen Aung-thwinMartin C. M. Lee, Hong KongCharles Tan, President of Young Democrat, Singapore Democratic PartyAriela Peralta, CEJILDave Hardy, Humanist Committee on Human RightsWaltraud Niemann, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanySimone Gerlach, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyNadine Berger, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyZ. Crncic, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyWladimira Senatore, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyRoman Okrut, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyInga Wilkens, Weltladen Unterwegs Mainz, GermanyKnut Rauchfuss, physician, Medical Care Service for Refugees, Germany

Documents

1 OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED