’WPCK ać¶Nķ{9Ņcmsq1Y=ĢmuU£čhķÓza\)ńĄUŗC‡h!ŌŪMp/uĢŃ*Méa ;Räö›āvĖN,—v>/ŌĪ`9/ųė£Ā%ĶæHʳ1²©WqŽ>`b° ·D’·Öų!³R Ļ’Ns&<ż“·¢*Ė×E˜Ū±ĪāKzTMK.nķP)omd(óå=Ssręl@­¶Ēł 0$ą>`l±mjWä-3×F•Z¹Iä6ās½ šX šg(l䘙ŽĖM3ORŒ.윫[ÉAįŠ‡ąf“VĄę=ąĒn÷„ŲGU‘“t`«ß5Ģ9@E””ĖšōcŒXćŪĖu^ė7d¢· l“ŁA’$.$,Hę÷¬}X‰¶ EI’j®Ä}Īč*5y ;­»ÄńpĖV=.Ī|9Y¤‚*Ą"`ežd†Éå ,ä@{“‹tķŽµU|ŗ(¶ŅӘSš61u‹¬gt$«£P­jų #ĮØUNi %· 0:½^ ÷w4* m,C˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PSČŁŲŁŁŲČŁ0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ūœ$””ŌUKUS.,Ō¢nR) Č­F)$Ļ k1ØÅœ3|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ Ż ƒūœ!ŻŌUKUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEŠ ° ŠĢņņR.€€A.€€V.€€N.€€et€al.€v.€ArgentinaóóŠ „Ō ŠĢCommunication€Nos.€343,€344€and€345/1988*Š XØ ŠĢ26€March€1990Š , | ŠĢĢDEAL€JOINTLY€&€ADMISSIBILITYó óŠ ź :  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€R.€€A.€€V.€€N.€€ņņet€alóó.€€(Names€deleted)Š ¦ö  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimsóó:€Relatives€of€the€authorsŠ tÄ  ŠĢņņState€party€concernedóó:€ArgentinaŠ B’ ŠĢņņDate€of€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant€and€Optional€Protocol€for€Argentinaóó:€8€November€1986Š ` ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€22€November€1988óóŠ Ž. ŠĢĢņņÓ  ÓThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€Covenant€on€CivilŠ —ē Šand€Political€Rights,Š €Š ŠĢņņMeetingóó€on€26€March€1990,Š R¢ ŠĢņņAdoptsóó€the€following:Š $t ŠĢĢņ ņÓ  ÓA.€€ņņDecision€to€deal€jointly€with€three€communicationsó óóóŠ ß / ŠÓśÓĢĢņņThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,Š ›#ė" ŠĢņņConsideringóó€that€communications€Nos.€€343,€344€and€345/1988€refer€to€closely€related€events€saidŠ m%½ $ Što€have€taken€place€in€Argentina€in€1976€and€to€the€enactment€of€certain€legislation€in€June€1987,Š V&¦!% ŠĢņņConsidering€furtheróó€that€the€three€communications€can€appropriately€be€dealt€with€together,€Š ((x#' ŠĢ1.€€ņņDecidesóó,€pursuant€to€rule€88,€paragraph€2,€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€to€deal€jointly€with€theseŠ ś)J%) Šcommunications;Š ć*3&* ŠĢ2.€€ņņFurther€decidesóó€that€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€the€authors€of€theŠ µ,(, Šcommunications.Š ž-ī(- ЇĢņ ņÓ  ÓB.€€ņņDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóŠ ™é ŠÓ\ÓĢĢ1.€€The€authors€of€the€communications€are€Argentine€citizens€residing€in€Argentina,€writing€onŠ U„ Šbehalf€of€their€deceased€and/or€disappeared€relatives,€Argentine€citizens€formerly€resident€in€theŠ > Ž ŠProvince€of€Cordoba€who€died€or€disappeared€in€1976,€before€the€entry€into€force€of€the€CovenantŠ ' w Šon€Civil€and€Political€Rights€and€the€Optional€Protocol€for€Argentina€on€8€November€1986.Š  ` ŠĢĢ2.1€The€authors€claim€that€the€enactment€of€Law€No.€€23,521€of€8€June€1987€(known€as€the€DueŠ Ė   ŠObedience€Law€(Ley€de€Ō_ŌObedienciaŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌDebidaŌ_Ō))€and€its€application€to€the€legal€proceedings€in€theŠ “  Šcases€of€their€relatives€constitute€violations€by€Argentina€of€articles€2,€3,€4,€6,€9,€14€and€24€of€theŠ ķ  ŠInternational€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights.€€They€are€represented€by€counsel.Š †Ö  ŠĢ2.2.€€It€is€claimed€that€law€No.€€23,521€is€incompatible€with€Argentinaššs€obligations€under€theŠ XØ  ŠCovenant.€€The€law€presumes,€without€admitting€proof€to€the€contrary,€that€those€persons€who€heldŠ A‘ Šlower€military€ranks€at€the€time€the€crimes€were€committed€were€acting€under€superior€orders;€theŠ *z Šlaw€therefore€exempts€them€from€punishment.€€This€immunity€also€covers€senior€military€officersŠ c Šwho€did€not€act€as€commander„in„chief,€chief„of„zone€or€chief„of„security€police€or€penitentiaryŠ üL Šforces,€provided€that€they€did€not€themselves€take€decisions€or€that€they€did€not€participate€in€theŠ å5 Šelaboration€of€criminal€orders.Š Ī ŠĢ2.3€With€regard€to€the€application€of€the€Covenant€to€the€facts€of€the€cases,€the€authors€acknowledgeŠ  š Šthat€their€relatives€were€either€killed€or€disappeared€in€1976,€under€the€prior€Argentine€Government,Š ‰Ł Šbefore€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant€and€of€the€Optional€Protocol€for€Argentina.€€TheyŠ rĀ Šchallenge,€however,€the€compatibility€of€the€Due€Obedience€Law€with€article€2€of€the€Covenant,Š [« Šwhich€provides,€ņņinter€aliaóó,€that€States€parties€should€adopt€the€necessary€legislative€measures€to€giveŠ D” Šeffect€to€the€rights€recognized€in€the€Covenant.€€They€claim€that€by€adopting€legislation€whichŠ -} Šeffectively€guarantees€the€impunity€of€military€officials€responsible€for€disappearances,€torture€andŠ f Šmurder,€the€Argentine€Government€has€violated€its€obligations€under€the€Covenant.Š ’O ŠĢ2.4€As€to€the€requirement€of€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€the€authors€point€out€that,€withŠ Ń!!  Šrespect€to€the€disappearance€or€death€of€the€alleged€victims,€the€matter€was€brought€before€theŠ ŗ" ! Šcompetent€Argentine€courts.€€However,€by€virtue€of€law€No.€€23,521,€the€pending€criminal€casesŠ £#ó" Šwere€shelved€in€June€1987€and€May€1988,€and€the€accused€were€accordingly€set€free.€€The€authorsŠ Œ$Ü# Šconclude€that€domestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted.Š u%Å $ ŠĢ2.5€It€is€stated€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€another€procedureŠ G'—"& Šof€international€investigation€or€settlement.ņņ€aóóŠ 0(€#' ŠĢ2.6€Specifically,€the€authors€request€the€Committee€to€find€that€Argentina€violated€its€obligationsŠ *R%) Šunder€the€Covenant,€and€to€urge€the€Government€of€Argentina€to€abrogate€law€No.€€23,521€so€as€toŠ ė*;&* Šallow€the€criminal€prosecution€and€punishment€of€the€persons€responsible€for€the€disappearanceŠ Ō+$'+ Šand/or€death€of€their€relatives.Š ½, (, ŠŠ ¦-ö(- Š3.€€By€decisions€of€4€April€1989,€the€Working€Group€of€the€Human€Rights€Committee,€withoutŠ ° Štransmitting€the€communications€to€the€State€party,€requested€the€authors,€under€rule€91€of€the€rulesŠ ™é Šof€procedure:€(a)€to€clarify€whether€and,€if€so,€to€what€extent€the€claims€contained€in€theirŠ ‚Ņ Šcommunication€go€beyond€their€desire€to€see€those€held€to€be€responsible€for€the€disappearance€orŠ k» Šdeath€of€their€relatives€criminally€prosecuted;€(b)€to€specify,€bearing€in€mind€that€the€Covenant€andŠ T¤ Šthe€Optional€Protocol€entered€into€force€for€Argentina€on€8€November€1986,€which€violations€theyŠ =  Šclaim€took€place€after€that€date;€and€(c)€to€indicate€whether€they€have€instituted€legal€proceedingsŠ & v Šbefore€the€competent€courts€with€a€view€to€obtaining€compensation€and,€if€so,€with€what€result.Š  _ ŠĢ4.1€In€their€reply€to€the€Working€Groupššs€questions,€the€authors€state€that€besides€punishing€theŠ į 1  Šguilty,€the€Government€of€Argentina€should€reopen€the€inquiry€into€the€disappearance€of€one€of€theŠ Ź   Šalleged€victims,€although€following€the€investigations€of€the€Comision€Nacional€sobre€DesaparicionŠ ³  Šde€Personas€(CONADEP)€(National€Commission€on€the€Disappearance€of€Persons),€it€wasŠ œģ  Špresumed,€in€view€of€the€lapse€of€time€since€the€disappearances,€that€the€persons€in€question€wereŠ …Õ  Šdead.€€The€authors€stress,€moreover,€that€laws€of€impunity€should€be€repudiated,€lest€they€beŠ n¾  Šunderstood€as€encouraging€the€commission€of€similar€crimes.€€In€this€connection€they€invoke€theŠ W§  Šprinciples€of€the€Nuremberg€Trials,€in€particular€the€rejection€of€the€defence€of€superior€orders.Š @ ŠĢ4.2€As€to€which€violations€of€the€Covenant€are€said€to€have€taken€place€after€its€entry€into€force€forŠ b ŠArgentina€on€8€November€1986,€the€authors€claim€that€the€enactment€of€the€Due€Obedience€Law€inŠ ūK ŠJune€1987€constitutes€a€violation€of€the€State€partyššs€obligation€to€ensure€the€thorough€investigationŠ ä4 Šof€crimes€and€the€punishment€of€the€guilty.Š Ķ ŠĢ4.3€With€regard€to€legal€proceedings€aimed€at€obtaining€compensation,€the€authors€indicate€that€theyŠ Ÿļ Špreferred€to€demand€an€investigation€of€the€events,€in€particular€of€the€whereabouts€of€disappearedŠ ˆŲ Špersons,€and€the€identification€of€the€guilty€parties.€€Although€it€appears€that€none€of€the€authors€everŠ qĮ Šinitiated€legal€proceedings€for€compensation,€they€refer€to€other€persons€who€have€unsuccessfullyŠ ZŖ Šsought€compensation€in€civil€proceedings.Š C“ ŠĢ5.1€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Human€Rights€CommitteeŠ e Šmust,€in€accordance€with€rule€87€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€the€communicationŠ žN Šis€admissible€under€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.€Š ē 7 ŠĢ5.2€With€regard€to€the€application€ņņratione€temporisóó€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€andŠ ¹" ! ŠPolitical€Rights€and€of€the€Optional€Protocol€for€Argentina,€the€Committee€recalls€that€bothŠ ¢#ņ" Šinstruments€entered€into€force€on€8€November€1986.€€It€observes€that€the€Covenant€cannot€be€appliedŠ ‹$Ū# Šretroactively€and€that€the€Committee€is€precluded€ņņratione€temporisóó€from€examining€allegedŠ t%Ä $ Šviolations€that€occurred€prior€to€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant€for€the€State€party.Š ]&­!% ŠĢ5.3€It€remains€for€the€Committee€to€determine€whether€violations€of€the€Covenant€have€occurredŠ /(#' Šsubsequent€to€its€entry€into€force.€€The€authors€have€invoked€article€2€of€the€Covenant€and€claim€aŠ )h$( Šviolation€of€their€right€to€a€remedy.€€In€this€context€the€Committee€recalls€its€prior€jurisprudence€thatŠ *Q%) Šarticle€2€of€the€Covenant€constitutes€a€general€undertaking€by€States€and€cannot€be€invoked,€inŠ ź*:&* Šisolation,€by€individuals€under€the€Optional€Protocolņņ€bóó.€€To€the€extent€that€the€authors€invoke€articleŠ Ó+#'+ Š2€in€conjunction€with€other€articles€of€the€Covenant,€the€Committee€observes€that€article€2,Š ¼, (, Šparagraph€3€(a),€of€the€Covenant€stipulates€that€each€State€party€undertakes€š što€ensure€that€anyŠ „-õ(- Šperson€whose€rights€or€freedoms€ņņas€herein€recognizedóó€are€violated€shall€have€an€effective€remedyŠ ° Š...šš€(emphasis€added).€€Thus,€under€article€2,€the€right€to€a€remedy€arises€only€after€a€violation€of€aŠ ™é ŠCovenant€right€has€been€established.€€However,€the€events€of€disappearance€and€death,€which€couldŠ ‚Ņ Šhave€constituted€violations€of€several€articles€of€the€Covenant,€an€in€respect€of€which€remedies€couldŠ k» Šhave€been€invoked,€occurred€prior€to€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant€and€of€the€OptionalŠ T¤ ŠProtocol€for€Argentina.€€Therefore,€the€matter€cannot€be€considered€by€the€Committee,€as€this€aspectŠ =  Šof€the€communication€is€inadmissible€ņņratione€temporisóó.Š & v ŠĢ5.4€The€Committee€finds€it€necessary€to€remind€the€State€party€that€it€is€under€an€obligation,€inŠ ų H Šrespect€of€violations€occurring€or€continuing€ņņafteróó€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant,€thoroughlyŠ į 1  Što€investigate€alleged€violations€and€to€provide€remedies€where€applicable,€for€victims€or€theirŠ Ź   Šdependants.Š ³  ŠĢ5.5€To€the€extent€that€the€authors€claim€that€the€enactment€of€law€No.€€23,521€frustrated€their€rightŠ …Õ  Što€see€certain€Government€officials€prosecuted,€the€Committee€refers€to€its€prior€jurisprudence€thatŠ n¾  Šthe€Covenant€does€not€provide€a€right€for€an€individual€to€require€that€the€State€criminally€prosecuteŠ W§  Šanother€personņņ€cóó.€€Accordingly,€this€part€of€the€communication€is€inadmissible€ņņratione€materiaeóó€asŠ @ Šincompatible€with€the€provisions€of€the€Covenant.Š )y ŠĢ5.6€As€to€the€question€of€compensation,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€authors,€in€reply€to€theŠ ūK ŠWorking€Groupššs€questions,€explained€that€this€was€not€the€remedy€that€they€sought.Š ä4 ŠĢ6.€€The€Human€Rights€Committee€therefore€decides:Š ¶ ŠĢ(a)€The€communications€are€inadmissible;Š ˆŲ ŠĢ(b)€This€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€authors€through€their€counsel,€and,€for€information,Š ZŖ Što€the€State€party.Š C“ ŠĢņņ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóŠ e ŠĢ*€The€text€of€an€individual€opinion€submitted€by€Mr.€€Ō_ŌBertilŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌWennergrenŌ_Ō€pursuant€to€rule€92,€of€theŠ ē 7 ŠCommitteeššs€rules€of€procedure€is€appended.Š Š!   ŠĢņņaóó/€€The€Secretariat€has€ascertained€that€one€case€was€submitted€to€the€Inter„American€CommissionŠ ¢#ņ" Šon€Human€Rights,€which€registered€it€under€No.€€10288.€€However,€it€is€not€currently€beingŠ ‹$Ū# Šexamined€by€the€Commission.€Š t%Ä $ ŠĢb/€€ņņM.€€G.€€B.€€and€S.€€P.€€v.€€Trinidad€and€Tobagoóó,€communication€No.€€268/1987,€para.€€6.2,Š F'–"& Šdeclared€inadmissible€on€3€November€1989.Š /(#' ŠĢc/€€ņņH.€€C.€€M.€€A.€€v€The€Netherlandsóó,€communication€No.€€213/1986,€para.€€11.6,€declaredŠ *Q%) Šinadmissible€on€30€March€1989.Š ź*:&* ŠĢĢÓ  Óņņņ ņAppendixó óóóŠ „-õ(- ЇÓ<5ÓņņIndividual€opinion:€submitted€by€Mr.€€Bertil€Wennergren€pursuant€to€rule€92,€paragraph€3,€of€theŠ ° ŠCommitteeššs€rules€of€procedure,€concerning€the€Committeeššs€decision€to€declare€communicationsŠ ™é ŠNos.€343,€344€and€345/1988,€R.€€A.€€V.€€N.€€et€al.€€v.€€Argentina,€inadmissibleóóŠ ‚Ņ ŠĢI€concur€in€the€views€expressed€in€the€Committeeššs€decision.€€However,€in€my€opinion,€theŠ T¤ Šarguments€in€paragraph€5.4€of€the€decision€need€to€be€clarified€and€expanded.€€In€this€paragraph,€theŠ =  ŠCommittee€reminds€the€State€party€that€it€is€under€an€obligation,€in€respect€of€violations€occurringŠ & v Šor€continuing€after€the€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant,€thoroughly€to€investigate€alleged€violationsŠ  _ Šand€to€provide€remedies,€where€applicable,€for€victims€or€their€dependants.Š ų H ŠĢAccording€to€article€28€of€the€1969€Vienna€Convention€on€the€Law€of€Treaties€(cited€underŠ Ź   Šparagraph€4.2€in€the€Committeeššs€decision)€a€treatyššs€provisions€do€not€bind€a€party€in€relation€toŠ ³  Šany€act€or€fact€which€took€place€or€any€situation€which€ceased€to€exist€before€the€date€of€entry€intoŠ œģ  Šforce€of€the€treaty€in€respect€of€that€party;€the€Permanent€Court€of€International€Justice€(PCIJ€SeriesŠ …Õ  ŠA/B,€No.€€74€(1938),€p.€€10„48€„€Phosphates€in€Morocco€case)€has€held€in€this€context€that€both€theŠ n¾  Šterms€concerning€the€limitation€ņņratione€temporisóó€and€the€underlying€intention€are€clear:€This€clauseŠ W§  Šwas€inserted€in€order€to€deprive€the€acceptance€of€the€compulsory€jurisdiction€of€any€retroactiveŠ @ Šeffects.€€In€this€case€the€Court€had€to€decide€whether€or€not€issues€arose€from€factors€subsequent€toŠ )y Šthe€acceptance€of€its€jurisdiction€(which€the€Court€refers€to€as€the€š šcrucial€datešš),€first€becauseŠ b Šcertain€acts,€which,€if€considered€separately,€were€in€themselves€unlawful€international€acts,€wereŠ ūK Šactually€accomplished€after€the€š šcrucial€datešš;€secondly,€because€these€acts,€if€taken€in€conjunctionŠ ä4 Šwith€earlier€acts€to€which€they€were€closely€linked,€constituted€as€a€whole€a€single,€continuing€andŠ Ķ Šprogressive€illegal€act€which€was€not€fully€accomplished€until€after€the€š šcrucial€datešš;€and€lastly,Š ¶ Šbecause€certain€acts€which€were€carried€out€prior€to€the€š šcrucial€datešš€nevertheless€gave€rise€to€aŠ Ÿļ Špermanent€situation€which€was€inconsistent€with€international€law€and€which€existed€after€the€saidŠ ˆŲ Šdate.€€The€question€of€whether€a€given€situation€or€fact€occurs€prior€to€or€subsequent€to€a€particularŠ qĮ Šdate€is,€the€Court€explains,€one€to€be€decided€in€respect€of€each€specific€case,€just€as€the€question€ofŠ ZŖ Šthe€situations€or€facts€with€regard€to€which€the€issues€arose€must€be€decided€in€regard€of€eachŠ C“ Šspecific€case.€€I€note€that€theššcrucial€datešš€in€this€case€is€8€November€1986.Š ,| ŠĢThe€Committee€has€repeatedly€indicated€in€prior€decisions€that€it€š šcan€consider€only€an€allegedŠ žN Šviolation€of€human€rights€occurring€on€or€after€(the€date€of€entry€into€force€of€the€Covenant€and€theŠ ē 7 ŠProtocol€for€the€State€party)€unless€it€is€an€alleged€violation€which,€although€occurring€before€thatŠ Š!   Šdate,€continues€or€has€effects€which€themselves€constitute€a€violation€after€that€datešš.€€DisappearanceŠ ¹" ! Šcases€that€cannot€be€attributed€to€natural€causes€(accidents,€voluntary€escapes,€suicides,€etc.)€but€thatŠ ¢#ņ" Šgive€rise€to€reasonable€assumptions€and€suspicions€of€illegal€acts,€such€as€killing,€deprivation€ofŠ ‹$Ū# Šliberty€and€inhuman€treatment,€may€lead€to€claims€not€only€under€the€respective€material€articles€inŠ t%Ä $ Šthe€Covenant€(articles€6,€7,€9€and€10)€but€in€connection€therewith€also€under€article€2€of€theŠ ]&­!% ŠCovenant,€concerning€a€State€partyššs€obligation€to€adopt€such€measures€as€may€be€necessary€to€giveŠ F'–"& Šeffect€to€the€rights€recognized€in€the€Covenant€and€to€ensure€that€any€person€whose€rights€orŠ /(#' Šfreedoms€are€violated€shall€have€an€effective€remedy.€€In€an€early€decision€involving€a€disappearanceŠ )h$( Š(30/1978€Ō_ŌBleierŌ_Ō€v.€€Uruguay)€the€Committee,€after€noting€that€according€to€unrefuted€allegationsŠ *Q%) Šš šEduardo€Bleierššs€name€was€on€a€list€of€prisoners€read€out€once€a€week€at€an€army€unit€inŠ ź*:&* ŠMontevideo€where€his€family€delivered€clothing€for€him€and€received€his€dirty€clothing€until€theŠ Ó+#'+ Šsummer€of€1976"€(i.e.€after€the€š šcrucial€datešš),€urged€the€Uruguayan€Government€š što€take€effectiveŠ ¼, (, Šsteps€...€to€establish€what€has€happened€to€Eduardo€Bleier€since€October€1975€(i.e.€before€the€crucialŠ „-õ(- Šdate€but€with€continuation€after€that€date),€to€bring€to€justice€any€person€found€to€be€responsible€forŠ ° Šhis€death,€disappearance€or€ill„treatment,€and€to€pay€compensation€to€him€or€his€family€for€any€injuryŠ ™é Šwhich€he€has€sufferedšš.€€In€another€case€(107/1981€Quinteros€v.€€Uruguay)€the€Committee€was€ofŠ ‚Ņ Šthe€view€that€the€information€before€it€revealed€breaches€of€articles€7,€9€and€10€paragraph€1,€of€theŠ k» ŠCovenant€and€concluded€that€the€responsibility€for€the€disappearance€of€Elena€Quinteros€fell€on€theŠ T¤ Šauthorities€of€Uruguay€and€that€the€State€party€should€take€immediate€and€effective€steps€(i)€toŠ =  Šestablish€what€has€happened€to€Elena€Quinteros€since€28€June€1976,€and€secure€her€release,€(ii)€toŠ & v Šbring€to€justice€any€persons€found€to€be€responsible€for€her€disappearance€and€ill„treatment,€(iii)€toŠ  _ Špay€compensation€for€the€wrongs€suffered,€and€(iv)€to€ensure€that€similar€violations€do€not€occur€inŠ ų H Šthe€future.€€In€the€latter€case,€the€author€of€the€communication€was€the€mother€of€the€disappearedŠ į 1  Švictim€who€had€alleged€that€she,€too,€was€a€victim€of€a€violation€of€article€7,€(psychological€tortureŠ Ź   Šbecause€she€did€not€know€about€the€whereabouts€of€her€daughter)€and€who€had€given€ampleŠ ³  Šdescription€of€her€sufferings.€€The€Committee€expressed€its€understanding€with€the€anguish€andŠ œģ  Šstress€caused€to€the€mother€both€by€the€disappearance€of€her€daughter€and€by€the€continuingŠ …Õ  Šuncertainty€concerning€her€fate€and€whereabouts.€€She€had€the€right€to€know€what€had€happened€toŠ n¾  Šher€daughter.€€The€Committee€therefore€found€that€in€these€respects€she€was€also€a€victim€of€aŠ W§  Šviolation€of€the€Covenant.Š @ ŠĢI€draw€the€following€conclusions.€€A€disappearance€ņņper€seóó€does€not€raise€any€issue€under€theŠ b ŠCovenant.€For€it€to€do€so,€a€link€to€some€of€the€material€articles€of€the€Covenant€is€required.€€AndŠ ūK Šit€is€solely€with€such€a€link€that€article€2€of€the€Covenant€may€become€applicable€and€an€issue€mayŠ ä4 Šarise€under€that€article€too.€€Should€it€become€clear€that€the€cause€of€the€disappearance€is€attributableŠ Ķ Što€a€killing€for€which€the€State€party€must€be€held€responsible,€but€that€the€killing€took€place€beforeŠ ¶ Šthe€š šcrucial€datešš,€then€this€killing€cannot€be€deemed€to€constitute€a€violation€of€article€6€of€theŠ Ÿļ ŠCovenant,€notwithstanding€that€it€was€a€crime€against€the€right€to€life€under€domestic€penal€law.€Š ˆŲ ŠConsequently,€a€claim€regarding€the€non„fulfilment€of€a€State€partyššs€obligations€under€article€2€ofŠ qĮ Šthe€Covenant€also€cannot€arise.€€But,€on€the€other€hand,€if€a€killing€before€the€š šcrucial€datešš€isŠ ZŖ Šmerely€one€hypothesis€among€several€others,€the€case€law€of€the€Committee€clearly€indicates€thatŠ C“ Šunder€article€2€of€the€Covenant€the€State€party€is€under€a€duty€to€carry€out€a€meaningfulŠ ,| Šinvestigation.€€Only€when€it€is€unimaginable€that€any€act,€fact€or€situation€which€would€constituteŠ e Ša€violation€of€the€Covenant€may€have€continued€to€exist€or€have€occurred€subsequent€to€the€š šcrucialŠ žN Šdatešš,€such€an€obligation€does€not€arise.€€It€should€be€added€that€a€declaration€under€domestic€civilŠ ē 7 Šlaw€in€respect€of€a€disappeared€personššs€death€does€not€set€aside€a€State€partyššs€obligation€under€theŠ Š!   ŠCovenant.€€Domestic€civil€law€provisions€cannot€be€given€precedence€over€international€legalŠ ¹" ! Šobligations.€€Whatever€the€length€and€thoroughness€be€deemed€necessary€for€an€investigation€toŠ ¢#ņ" Šsatisfy€the€requirements€under€the€Covenant€is€to€be€considered€case€by€case,€but€an€investigationŠ ‹$Ū# Šmust€under€all€circumstances€be€conducted€fairly,€objectively€and€impartially.€€Any€negligence,Š t%Ä $ Šsuppression€of€evidence€or€other€irregularity€jeopardizing€the€outcome€must€be€regarded€as€aŠ ]&­!% Šviolation€of€the€obligations€under€article€2€of€the€Covenant,€in€conjunction€with€a€relevant€materialŠ F'–"& Šarticle.€€And€once€an€investigation€has€been€closed€due€to€lack€of€adequate€results,€it€must€beŠ /(#' Šreopened€if€new€and€pertinent€information€comes€to€light.Š )h$( ŠĢŌ_ŌBertilŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌWENNERGRENŌ_Ō