Mexico City, 30 January 2015 – Peace Brigades International (PBI) will accompany representatives of Mexican Civil Society and relatives of victims of enforced disappearances during a series of events in Geneva (Switzerland) and Brussels (Belgium). The delegation will present their perspective of the current context in Mexican before the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances. The case of Ayotzinapa will be examined, a case which is emblematic of the reality regarding disappearances, with official figures suggesting that there are 23.271 disappeared in Mexico.

Mexican Civil Society organizations (CSOs) taking part in the delegation include: Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, Fray Juan de Larios Diocesan Center for Human Rights, Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez Human Rights Center, Women Human Rights Center (CEDEHM), IDHEAS (Strategic Litigation), as well as relatives of victims of enforced disappearances. Mexican CSOs have stated that a request made by them to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the recognition of the UN Committee by the Mexican State, has not yet received a response.

As well as the session with the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, which will take place between 2 and 6 February, representatives of Tlachinollan Human Rights Center and Agustin Pro Juarez Human Rights Center together with family members of disappeared persons will hold meetings with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances of the UN, the office of the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, the office of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Members of the European Parliament, Amnesty International, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Front Line Defenders, European Union External Action Service among many other relevant stakeholders.

You may follow a live broadcast of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances through the UN treaty bodies webcast which will take place between 11:30am and 6pm CET on 2 February (4:30-11am Mexico City) and then again on 3 between 10am and 1pm CET (3-6pm Mexico City).

Further information about the event, as well as the reports presented by both the Mexican State and Mexican Civil Society may be accessed through the UN's website on the Treaty Bodies Sessions.

Furthermore, on 3 February a press conference will be held simultaneously in the Palais des Nations in Geneva and in the Agustin Pro Juarez Human Rights Center in Mexico City – 10am Mexico City and 5pm Geneva.