CLDH Statement on the Urgent Need for Action by the National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons Following the Israeli Strikes of April 8

CLDH Statement on the Urgent Need for Action by the National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons Following the Israeli Strikes of April 8. 

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) expresses its deepest concern regarding the fate of persons who remain missing following the mass Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, especially those on April 8, 2026, which killed, on that day alone, more than 300 people and caused widespread destruction in densely populated civilian areas. These attacks—described as among the deadliest in recent years—left families across the country searching for answers about relatives who remain unaccounted for.  

Considering these events, CLDH urges the Lebanese National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons to immediately and fully exercise its mandate under Law No. 105/2018, which defines the crime of enforced disappearance and establishes the Commission as an independent national body with full legal personality and administrative autonomy. The Commission’s responsibilities include:  

Collecting and verifying information, 

Receiving and examining reports from families, 

Building and maintaining a central database, 

Conducting investigations to determine the fate and whereabouts of the missing, 

Ensuring transparency and the right of families to know. 

These obligations are not optional; they constitute legally binding duties under Lebanese domestic law. 

International Human Rights Obligations 

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has repeatedly expressed concern about Lebanon’s longstanding failure to effectively address thousands of disappearances and highlighted persistent challenges faced by the Commission, including chronic resource shortages and limited transparency. 

The new cases of persons missing following the Israeli strikes only deepen the urgency of ensuring full compliance with these international standards. 

Call to the Lebanese Government 

CLDH calls on the Lebanese government to: 

1. Provide the Commission with the financial, technical, and administrative resources needed to carry out its work, especially in light of the growing number of disappearance cases linked to ongoing attacks. 

2. Guarantee the Commission’s operational independence, as required under Law 105/2018, to allow it to gather information freely, access official records, and coordinate with relevant institutions, including forensic and humanitarian bodies. 

3. Ensure timely public reporting on the status of investigations into persons missing as a result of the April 8 attacks and other recent incidents. 

4. Facilitate cooperation with international mechanisms, including UN bodies and humanitarian organizations, to strengthen investigative and identification capacities. 

5. Initiate immediately the process for Lebanon’s ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, thereby reinforcing the national legal framework, affirming the State’s commitment to combating impunity, and ensuring effective remedies and guarantees for victims and their families. 

Call to the Commission 

CLDH urges the Commission to: 

1. Urgently activate investigative mechanisms focused specifically on cases of individuals missing due to the April 8 strikes and subsequent attacks documented across Lebanon, including those in Beirut, Tyre, Nabatieh, and other heavily affected areas.  

2. Publicly communicate its plan of action, including timelines, procedures for family contact, and mechanisms for information collection. 

3. Engage directly with affected families, ensuring their right to truth and participation in the process. 

4. Ensure that all actions are guided by human-rights principles, transparency, and the best interests of families and survivors. 

Conclusion 

CLDH stands ready to support the commission and the families and advocate for meaningful implementation of Lebanon’s domestic and international obligations. The lives and dignity of victims and their families demand immediate and decisive action.