United States Mission to the United Nations
Office of Press and Public Diplomacy
For Immediate Release
August 30, 2021
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the United States stands with victims of enforced disappearances, as well as their family members and friends, who live every day with anguish and uncertainty about what has become of their loved ones.
Across the globe, authoritarian regimes and their proxies try to instill fear and maintain control by disappearing civil society leaders, human rights defenders, and others because of who they are, what they believe, or how they express themselves. We are also seeing an alarming trend of acts of transnational repression — efforts by authoritarian regimes and their supporters to disappear activists, dissidents, and journalists in third countries – including in the United States.
Today and every day, we must stand firmly in support of human rights and against such disappearances, and offer our support to victims’ family, friends, and community members, who are often left with little more than haunting questions. This means persuading governments and international organizations around the world to credibly and transparently investigate, hold perpetrators accountable, and put an end to all enforced disappearances.
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