International community marks Day of Disappeared

Today, on August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared is being marked across the world.

The International Day of the Disappeared on August 30 is an annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2006 and opened for signature on 6 February 2007. As of August 2010, 83 states have signed, and nineteen have ratified. It will come into force when ratified by 20 states-parties.

Belarus is one of the countries, who refused to sign the Convention.