What is the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED)?

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED) is a human rights treaty that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. The treaty defines enforced disappearance as the act of depriving a person of their liberty in a manner suggesting they have been secretly abducted and don’t have contact with the outside world. This includes disappearance for political reasons or because of their ethnicity, religion, or membership in a certain social group. The CPED is a binding treaty and requires that any state that signs it must investigate any cases of enforced disappearance and take measures to prevent such acts from occurring. The treaty also guarantees the rights of victims and their families to effective remedies, including adequate compensation and reparation for the harm caused by the disappearance. In order to become effective, the treaty needs to be ratified by at least 20 countries. As of 2020, 79 countries in the world, including the United States, have ratified the CPED. The CPED is an important instrument for promoting and protecting human rights and for combating impunity in cases of enforced disappearances. In Massachusetts, state courts have recognized the relevance of this international treaty. In particular, in a 2007 decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that the CPED was “relevant and instructive” when it comes to interpreting state laws relating to the rights of victims of enforced disappearances.

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What is the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED)?

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