Photo by ÉMILE SÉGUIN ✳️✳️✳️ on Unsplash
PI's submission on “new technologies and enforced disappearances”
PI response to call for inputs for a thematic study by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on “new technologies and enforced disappearances”
Key advocacy points
- In the submission, first, we highlight how the use of new technologies to facilitate enforced or involuntary disappearances.
- Second, we raise our concerns on it is increasingly clear that some states are using the guise of protecting against enforced disappearances as a pretext to introduce broad and overreaching surveillance measures.
- Finally, we make recommendations to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to include the following recommendations in its report
Advocacy
Post date
21st February 2023
The submission provides PI’s information and analysis of some of the topics listed in the call. The widespread use of new technologies presents both opportunities and challenges for the protection of human rights, including the right to life and the right to privacy. PI believes that is essential that states take a human rights-centered approach in their use of these technologies, and ensure that their use is consistent with international human rights law. By doing so, states can ensure that new technologies are used to enhance the protection of human rights, rather than to facilitate the commission of human rights violations.
We recommend the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to include the following recommendations in its report:
- To highlight the obligation of states to conduct investigations of enforced disappearances in accordance with international human rights standards and ensuring respect of all human rights, including the right to privacy;
- To underline the role and responsibilities of private actors, particularly surveillance companies, that transfer surveillance technologies to state actors with poor human rights records;
- To urge states take a human rights-centred approach in their use of these technologies, and ensure that their use is consistent with the right to privacy, including the protection of personal data;
- To urge states to avoid using the obligation to protect against enforced disappearances as a pretext to introduce broad and overreaching surveillance measures.
