29/08/2024 Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
On the eve of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances (30 August), Julian Pahlke (Germany, SOC), Rapporteur on “Missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers: a call to clarify their fate”, called on governments and parliamentarians to legislate and reinforce co-operation to search and identify missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
“The need to clarify the fate of these people, whether dead or alive, does not arise in a legal vacuum. The Council of Europe provides some very pertinent legal and co-operation tools which can help national legislations materialise the international momentum around this issue”, Mr Pahlke said.
“The tragedy of missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers - some of them are victims of enforced disappearances - is an underestimated human rights issue urgently requiring policy responses across Europe and the world. Over the past years, many initiatives have been taken by international organisations and by civil society actors, including families of the disappeared, forensic experts and prosecutors, to develop good practice and harmonised procedures to search and identify missing migrants.
I am personally in favour of allowing the various databases existing on missing migrants to speak to each other. The information is there: what is needed is a policy framework aligned with the highest data protection standards. This will enable cross-border co-operation between the competent authorities with due consideration for the particular vulnerability of people on the move and of members of their families.”
In June 2024, the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons adopted Mr Pahlke's report. The report will be presented by the Rapporteur and put to a vote during the Assembly's next part-session early October 2024.