Release Date: Jan 11, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
International experts assess CMP’s identification and forensic capabilities
(Nicosia 11 January 2019) – Four prominent experts in forensic and identification sciences visited the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) from 7 to 10 January 2019. Upon request of the three CMP Members, they completed an assessment of the work of CMP’s genetic and identification teams as well as the archeologist team.
Dr. Mercedes Salado, Identification Coordinator with the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), a humanitarian and scientific NGO that applies forensic anthropology and archaeology to the investigation of human rights violations in Argentina and worldwide, and Member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Forensic Advisory Board, commented that “all previous recommendations made in recent years to the CMP have been successfully implemented by the forensic team.” Dr. Lourdes Prieto, Vice President of the Spanish and Portuguese Society of Forensic Geneticists in Madrid, Spain, was impressed to see the application of high standards in the analysis of complex cases at CMP’s laboratory in Nicosia.
While emphasizing the importance of continuing to maintain the highest standards in the identification process of missing persons, Dr. Luis Fondebrider, the Director-General of EAAF stated that “with the increasing difficulty to find human remains, the investigation phase is going to play a critical role for CMP in coming years”. The international forensic expert and former CMP Identification Coordinator Dr. Maria Morcillo noted that CMP’s impressive implementation of international standards in the field of missing persons is globally recognized and referenced in many countries facing similar challenges.