On 21 August 2026 UNPO has published a new report, “Disappearing Peoples and Voices: A Look into Enforced Disappearances as a Tool of Repression against Human Rights Defenders and Activists,” examining how enforced disappearances are used to silence political dissent and self-determination movements among unrepresented nations and peoples.
Enforced disappearances rank among the most severe human rights violations. Beyond stripping victims of their rights and freedoms, they function as a deliberate mechanism to silence activism and instil fear within entire communities. By removing activists, community leaders and human rights defenders from public life, these practices restrict communities’ ability to document abuses, advocate for their rights and participate meaningfully in national and international discussions on their future. They also create a chilling effect that discourages others from speaking out or engaging in advocacy for fear of similar reprisals. Yet those responsible for enforced disappearances often face minimal, if any, consequences.
Unrepresented nations and peoples are disproportionately affected by this practice, as their lack of equal representation, political participation, and meaningful access to self-determination leaves them with fewer protections and avenues to address enforced disappearances.
The paper follows two webinars held by the UNPO in commemoration of the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances in 2024 and 2025, and it is part of the organisation’s Compromised Spaces campaign, which has documented how states target activists, journalists, and human rights defenders abroad.
Drawing on testimonies gathered directly from UNPO’s membership, the report examines case studies from seven member communities: the Baloch, Sindh, Ahwazi Arabs, Crimean Tatars, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Iranian Kurds. While each community’s context is distinct, the analysis identifies recurring patterns across cases, including the use of counter-terrorism and national security pretexts to justify repression, the deliberate concealment of victims’ whereabouts, and the extension of these tactics across borders through transnational repression. The report, in fact, examines how states increasingly extend repressive practices beyond their own borders. Transnational repression can involve digital surveillance, intimidation, threats against family members, illegal deportations, political assassinations, and enforced disappearances. These practices create a situation in which leaving a country does not necessarily provide protection, as activists and diaspora communities may continue to face threats and reprisals abroad.
While enforced disappearances remain a global challenge, unrepresented peoples experience their impact disproportionately, given their limited access to formal channels of recognition and redress. The report underscores that, as methods of repression become increasingly sophisticated, including through the use of digital technologies, the importance of impartial and accessible human rights mechanisms capable of protecting those who are excluded and silenced.
At the same time, the report highlights how greater international awareness and collective action can help amplify the voices of affected communities. The same technologies that facilitate repression can also support the search for disappeared persons, maintain connections across borders, and strengthen advocacy. UNPO’s webinars demonstrate the value of bringing affected communities together to share their experiences, raise awareness, and support one another in seeking greater international attention.
see also FIDH:
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/08/25/opinion/climate-science-human-rights-defence
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 