Enforced Disappearances: Joint Statement to the OSCE, September 2026

Thank you, Mr Chair. I am delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and my own country the United Kingdom.

The 30th of August marked the annual International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. As such, at today's Permanent Council, we would like to reaffirm our strong condemnation of enforced disappearances.

Enforced disappearance is inexcusable and despicable, wherever and whenever it takes place in our region. We continue to call for an end to this serious human rights violation and recall the OSCE commitments we all made in adopting the 2020 Tirana Ministerial Council Decision on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

We are deeply concerned by the continued use of enforced disappearances by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. In July this year ODIHR's Ninth Interim Report on reported violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Ukraine documented continuing, widespread and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by Russia, including cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances in Russian occupied territories of Ukraine.

ODIHR interviewed 20 survivors and received testimony from relatives of 31 people who were, or remained, unlawfully deprived of their liberty by the Russian authorities. Seven of the civilian arrests documented by ODIHR occurred as recently as 2025.

ODIHR found that individuals consistently reported being denied fundamental procedural safeguards, including prompt notification of the reasons for their arrest, the possibility to challenge the lawfulness of their detention or have it subject to regular review, as well as access to legal counsel of their own choosing.

Victims also reported being denied or significantly restricted in the ability to maintain contact with the outside world. Many were held incommunicado for part or all of their detention and reported torture, sexual violence and other forms of ill-treatment during detention.

We call on Russia to cease these practices, to release all those unlawfully detained, and to provide information on the whereabouts of those who have been forcibly disappeared.

We jointly reaffirm our commitment to ending enforced disappearances. We remember the victims and survivors of enforced disappearances and stand in solidarity with their families and loved ones, in Ukraine, across the OSCE region and globally.

Thank you.