GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (October 22, 2025) — In a historic move, the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) has activated Article 34 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in response to mounting evidence of systematic disappearances in Mexico.
This marks the first time Article 34 has been invoked for Mexico, signaling an international alert over what the UN describes as “well-founded indications” that enforced disappearances may be occurring on a widespread or systematic scale within the country.
Article 34 empowers the Committee to request urgent cooperation from the concerned state and to notify other UN bodies when it receives credible information suggesting that enforced disappearances are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern. The measure is considered a last resort, used only when national mechanisms appear unable or unwilling to address the crisis.
The decision was announced at the close of the Committee’s 28th session in April 2025. While the Committee did not disclose specific cases, it cited a “persistent pattern of impunity” and “lack of effective investigations” as contributing factors.
Mexico has long struggled with high rates of disappearances, many linked to organized crime, corruption, and alleged state complicity. Human rights groups estimate over 100,000 people remain missing, with families often left without answers or justice.
The Mexican government has yet to issue a formal response to the UN’s announcement. However, civil society organizations have welcomed the move, calling it a critical step toward international accountability.
As the world watches, the activation of Article 34 places Mexico under unprecedented scrutiny and could lead to further international investigations or sanctions if the situation fails to improve.
