General Law on Missing Persons - Mexico
On 17 November 2017, the General Law on Missing Persons was published in the Federal Official Gazette. It addresses enforced disappearances and disappearances committed by individuals and establishes the creation of a National Search System for Missing Persons (NSSMP).
In the heart of the NSSMP, different authorities and institutions – from federal and state levels – involved in the search of missing persons must coordinate to improve the search task forces and to share and process high quality information regarding possible whereabouts and unidentified dead bodies.
Additionally, the General Law on Missing Persons creates a National Search Commission (NSC). The Commission will coordinate the search at the federal level, administer the National Registry of Missing Persons and will also work jointly with the local search commissions, which every state should create according to the law.
The Law further devises the creation of a National Registry of Unidentified Dead Bodies operated by the Prosecutor's office.
Regarding data management, the law also establishes a system, named Sistema único de información tecnológica e informática (SUITI), which enables a proper and immediate exchange of information among different authorities. Also, the law seeks to guarantee the protection of the rights of missing persons and their relatives and regulates the Special Declaration of Absence for Missing Persons.
