The UN Human Rights Council has announced the appointment of Henrikas Mickevičius - lawyer, founder of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute and its senior advisor - to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances assists the families of victims in communicating with governments to provide information for investigations into disappearances. It also considers the issue of impunity according to the Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances and assists governments with its implementation.

The group places a particular emphasis to the disappearances of minors, children and human rights defenders.

Priorities

Asked about his priorities, Mickevičius singled out bringing the issue of the complicity of UN member states in the CIA's secret detention and extraordinary rendition program back to the agenda of the Working Group.

"With new data available, including the report from the US Senate, I think it is important to return to this issue," he said.

According to UN Human Rights Council Chairman Joachim Ruecker, Mickevičius was appointed to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances following the recommendation of the Consultative Group. In the opinion of the latter, Mickevičius had extensive professional expertise at the national, regional and international level and a strong commitment to implementing the mandate of the Working Group.

"This mandate means a lot to me - it not only serves to recognize me as an international human rights expert, it also serves to recognize the many years of consistent effort of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute," said Mickevičius.

One of four Lithuanian experts

Henrikas Mickevičius is now the fourth high-ranking Lithuanian expert within the UN human rights system.

Previously appointments include professor Dalia Leinartė to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, professor Jonas Ruškus to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and professor Dainius Pūras (a former chairman of the board of HRMI) as the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health.