On September 16, 2026, Peace Brigades International presented at the “Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence” during the 13th meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva.
The PBI presentation (starting here at 1:34:20) noted concerns about Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
PBI representative Claire Moretto stated: “In Mexico, the families of persons disappeared faces victimizing process in the quest for justice. That’s the case of the family of Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz, who disappeared at the hands of the state in 2007.”
The day before, September 15, Moretto also spoke during the “Interactive dialogue with the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances”.
There Moretto highlighted again: “Mexico is suffering a disappearance crisis with more than 130,000 disappeared persons. In 2022, a special search commission was created by judicial mandate for the enforced disappearance of Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz without any progress to date. We call on the Mexican state to investigate and detain those responsible for this human rights violation and on the working group to attend the meetings of the special commission.”
That presentation can be heard here starting at 1:04:36.
That same day, September 15, PBI-Mexico accompanied Nadi Reyes Maldonado, the daughter of Edmundo Reyes Amaya, at the 27th meeting of the Special Search Commission (CEB) in their case in Mexico City.
You can read more about this at: PBI-Mexico accompanies the Cerezo Committee at the 27th meeting of the Special Search Commission for Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz (PBI-Canada, September 16, 2026).
The next meeting of the Special Search Commission will be on October 22.
We continue to follow this.
The full presentation to the United Nations
Thank you, Vice President.
In Colombia, ten years after the peace agreement, violence persists or has intensified in territories such as Putumayo. Middle Magdalena and Lower Atrato, where ethnic and peasant communities continue to face land dispossession and are controlled by armed groups, a state presence is required that guarantees protection and genuine conditions for territorial peace.
In Mexico, the families of persons disappeared faces victimising process in the quest for justice. That’s the case of the family of Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz, who disappeared at the hands of the state in 2007.
We stress the importance of effective investigations in Guatemala. Despite historic advances in transitional justice, the co-opting of the judicial system has led to major setbacks. We urge the rapporteur and states to provide technical and political support to reinstate a proper justice system, guarantee security and prioritize implementation of the reparations plan and policy of protection of human rights defenders.
In Nicaragua impunity persists with regard to violations documented since 2018. Despite the repression, Nicaraguan organisations continue to document those violations and call on the international community to continue to support processes of memory, truth and justice.
Thank you very much.
