2 September 2010
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INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR BODY TRANSPORT International Arrangement concerning the conveyance of corpses Desirous of avoiding the difficulties resulting from differences in the regulations concerning the conveyance of corpses, and considering the convenience of laying down uniform regulations in the matter, the undersigned Governments undertake to accept the entry into their territory, or the passage in transit through their territory, of the corpses of persons deceased on the territory of any one of the other contracting countries on condition that the following regulations are complied with: A. General Regulations ARTICLE 1 For the conveyance of any corpse by any means and under any conditions, a special laissez-passer (laissez-passer for a corpse) complying as far as possible with the model annexed hereto, and in any case stating the surname, first name and age of the deceased person, and the place, date and cause of decease, shall be required; the said laissez-passer shall be issued by the competent authority for the place of decease or the place of burial in the cases of corpses exhumed. It is recommended that the laissez-passer should be made out, not only in the language of the country issuing it, but also in at least one of the languages most frequently used in international relations. ARTICLE 2 Neither the country of destination nor the countries of transit shall require, over and above such papers as are required under international conventions for the purpose of transports in general, any document other than the laissez-passer provided for in the preceding Article. The said laissez-passer shall not be issued by the responsible authority, save on presentation of:
ARTICLE 3 Corpses must be placed in a metal coffin, the bottom of which has been covered with a layer of approximately 5 cm. of absorbent matter such as peat, sawdust, powdered charcoal or the like with the addition of an antiseptic substance. Where the cause of decease was a contagious disease, the corpse itself shall be wrapped in a shroud soaked in an antiseptic solution. The metal coffin must thereupon be hermetically closed (soldered) and fitted into a wooden coffin in such a manner as to preclude movement. The wooden coffin shall be of a thickness of not less than 3 cm.: its joints must be completely water-tight: and it must be closed by means of screws not more than 20 cm. distant from one another, and strengthened by metal hoops. ARTICLE 4 Conveyances of the corpses of persons deceased by reason of plague, cholera, small-pox or typhus shall not be authorised as between the territories of the Contracting Parties until one year at the earliest after the decease.
ARTICLE 5 In the case of transport by rail, the following regulations shall apply over and above the general regulations contained in Articles 1 to 4:
In the case of motor transport, the following regulations shall apply over and above the general regulations contained in Articles 1 to 4:
ARTICLE 7 In the case of transport by air, the following regulations shall apply over and above the general regulations contained in Articles 1 to 4:
In the case of transport by sea, the following regulations shall apply over and above the general regulations contained in Articles 1 to 4:
Where decease takes place on board ship, the body must be preserved under the same conditions as those provided for in Article 8 above. The documents and certificates required under Article 2 shall be made out in accordance with the law of the country whose flag the vessel flies, and transport shall take place in the same manner as in the case of a corpse shipped on board. Where the decease takes place less than 48 hours before the arrival of the vessel in the port at which the burial is to take place, and the material required for the strict observance of the provisions laid down in paragraph (a) of Article 8 is not available on board, the corpse, wrapped in a shroud soaked in an antiseptic solution, may be placed in a coffin of solid wood of planks of not less than 3 cm. thick with watertight joints, closed by screws. The bottom of the coffin must previously have been covered with a layer of approximately 5 cm. of absorbent material such as peat, sawdust, powdered charcoal or the like with the addition of an antiseptic substance. The coffin must thereupon be fitted into a wooden case in such a manner as to preclude movement. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply where death was due to one of the diseases specified in Article 4. This Article shall not apply to vessels whose voyages do not exceed 24 hours, if in the event of a decease on board they hand over the corpse to the competent authorities as soon as they arrive at the port at which it is to be handed over.
ARTICLE 10 The provisions, both general and specific, of the present Arrangement embody the maximum requirements (other than in the matter of charges) which may be stipulated in connection with the acceptance of corpses coming from any one of the contracting countries. The said countries remain free to grant greater facilities, either by means of bilateral arrangements or by decisions in particular cases arrived at by common accord. The present Arrangement shall not apply to the conveyance of corpses between frontier districts.
The present Arrangement applies to international transport of corpses immediately after decease or exhumation. Nothing therein contained shall in any way affect the regulations in force in the respective countries in respect of burial and exhumation. The present Arrangement shall not apply to the transport of ashes. D. Protocol Clauses ARTICLE 12 The present Arrangement shall bear today’s date, and may be signed within six months as from that date.
The present Arrangement shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be transmitted to the German Government as soon as possible. As soon as five ratifications have been deposited, the German Government shall draw up a proces-verbal to that effect. It shall transmit copies of the proces-verbal to the Governments of the High Contracting Parties and the Office International d’Hygiene publique. The present Arrangement shall come into force on the 120th day after the date of the said proces-verbal. Every subsequent deposit of ratifications shall be put on record by means of a proces-verbal drawn up and communicated in accordance with the procedure laid down above. The present Arrangement shall come into force in respect of each of the High Contracting Parties on the 120th day after the date of the proces-verbal putting on record the deposit of its ratifications. ARTICLE 14 Countries not signatories to the present Arrangement may accede to the same at any time from the date of the proces-verbal putting on record the deposit of the first five ratifications. Each accession shall be made by means of notification through the diplomatic channel of the German Government. The said Government shall deposit the act of accession in its archives; it shall immediately notify the Governments of all the countries Parties to the Arrangement and the Office International d’Hygiene publique notifying the date of deposit. Each accession shall take effect on the 120th day from that date. ARTICLE 15 Each of the High Contracting Parties may declare at the time of signature, ratification or accession, that by its acceptance of the present Arrangement it does not intend to undertake any obligation in respect of all or part of its colonies, protectorates, overseas territories or territories placed under its suzerainty or mandate; in which case the present Arrangement shall not apply to territories in respect of which such a declaration has been made. Each of the High Contracting Parties may later notify the German Government that it intends to make the present Arrangement applicable to all or part of its territories which were the subject of the declaration provided for in the previous paragraph; in which case the Arrangement shall apply to the territories named in the notification on the 120th day from the date of the deposit of the same in the archives of the German Government. Likewise, every High Contracting Party may at any time after the expiry of the time limit specified in Article 16 declare that it intends that the application of the present Arrangement to all or part of its colonies, protectorates, overseas territories or territories placed under its suzerainty or mandate shall cease; in which case the Arrangement shall cease to apply to the territories which are the subject of such declaration one year after the deposit of the same in the archives of the German Government. The German Government shall notify the Governments of all the countries Parties to the present Arrangement and the Office International d’Hygiene publique of the notifications and declarations made under the above provision, communicating to them the date of deposit of such notifications or declarations in its archives. ARTICLE 16 The Government of any country Party to the present Arrangement may, at any time after the Arrangement has been in force in respect of the Government for five years, denounce it by written notification communicated through the diplomatic channel to the German Government. The German Government shall deposit the notice of denunciation in its archives. It shall immediately notify the Governments of all the countries Parties to the Arrangement and the Office International d’Hygiene publique, communicating to them the date of deposit. Every denunciation shall take effect one year after that date. ARTICLE 17 The signature of the present Arrangement may not be accompanied by any reservation which has not been previously approved by those High Contracting Parties who are already signatories. Likewise, ratifications or accessions accompanied by reservations which have not been previously approved by all countries Parties to the Convention shall not be put on record. In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries, provided with full powers recognised in good and due form, have signed the present Arrangement. Done at Berlin on February 10th, 1937, in one single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the German Government, and certified true copies of which shall be communicated through the diplomatic channel to each of the High Contracting Parties.Annex to Appendix A
COUNCIL OF EUROPE AGREEMENT ON THE TRANSFER OF CORPSES The member State of the Council of Europe, signatory hereto, Considering that there is an increasing need to simplify formalities relating to the international transfer of corpses, Bearing in mind that the transfer of corpses does not create a risk to health even if death was due to a communicable disease provided that appropriate measures are taken, in particular with regard to the imperviousness of the coffin, Have agreed as follows: ARTICLE 1
For such agreements or decisions to be applicable in any given case, the consent of all the States involved must be obtained. ARTICLE 3
With the exception of the documents required under international conventions and agreements relating to transport in general, or future conventions or arrangements on the transfer of corpses, neither the State of destination not the transit State shall require any documents other than the laissez-passer for a corpse.
The laissez-passer is issued by the competent authority referred to in Article 8 of this Agreement, after it has ascertained that:
If the coffin is to be transported like an ordinary consignment, it shall be packaged so that it no longer resembles a coffin, and it shall be indicated that it be handled with care.
Each Contracting Party shall communicate to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe the designation of the competent authority referred to in Article 13, paragraph 1, Article 5 and Article 6, paragraphs 1 and 3 of this Agreement.
If a transfer involves a third State which is Party to the Berlin Arrangement concerning the conveyance of corpses of 10 February 1937, any Contracting State to this Agreement may require another Contracting State to take such measures as are necessary for the former Contracting State to fulfil its obligations under the Berlin Arrangement.
ARTICLE 11
ARTICLE 15 The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the Council and any State which has acceded to this Agreement of:
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Agreement. Done at Strasbourg, this 26th day of October 1973, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding State
Annex to Appendix B
Alternatively, an indication should be made on the laissez-passer as to whether the person died of natural causes and of a non-contagious disease. If this is not the case, the circumstances of death or the nature of the contagious disease should be indicated.
XVII PAN AMERICAN SANITARY CONFERENCE RESOLUTION XXIX Adopted in Washington, October 7th, 1966 INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OF HUMAN REMAINS
Resolves
The greater ease of communications today and the considerable increase in tourism make the international transportation of human remains a matter of practical interest that justifies the establishment of uniform standards. The international transportation of human remains should be simplified so as not to increase the problems of the families with complicated and unnecessary procedures that appear to overlook the moral and social considerations involved in such cases. It is possible to simplify the administrative procedures involved in obtaining authorization for the international transportation of human remains if it is borne in mind that, contrary to a deep rooted opinion, a corpse does not constitute a health risk even when death was due to a quarantinable or communicable disease, since its power to infect disappears when it is suitably embalmed. Embalming might become the general practice in the countries of the Americas
since it is the most appropriate method of preserving human remains; however,
this in no way implies that other, simpler, and equally effective methods, cannot
also be used. DEFINITIONS Article 1. International transportation of human remains is understood to be the shipment of the body from the country where the death occurred to the country of its final destination after either death or disinterment. Article 2. The transportation of bodies between frontier districts within 48 hours after death shall not be subject to these standards. Article 3. For the purpose of these standards an impervious coffin shall be any container or box, of whatever material, which can be hermetically sealed and so maintained by plastic or rubber gasket or by metal or similar material which has been soldered or welded. The body may also be encased in a plastic container which has been sealed by heat or by adhesive materials prior to being placed in a non-impervious coffin, and which, for the purpose of these standards, will be considered the same as an impervious coffin.
Article 4. For international transportation of human remains, the following documents shall be required:
HEALTH MEASURES Article 5. The human remains shall be subject to the following measures:
SHIPMENT REQUIREMENTS Article 6. Human remains prepared for international shipment must be placed in an impervious coffin. Where the cause of death was a quarantinable disease, as defined in the International Sanitary Regulations, the human remains must be embalmed (arterial and cavity) and placed in an impervious coffin. The impervious coffin must thereupon be hermetically sealed and may be shipped without any other covering (except in the case of shipment by sea), or for protective purposes may be fitted in a wooden box, or one made of other material, so as to prevent movement; or may be wrapped in a specially designed fabric.
Article 7. The following regulations shall apply to the transportation by rail:
In case of transportation by road the impervious coffin must be conveyed preferably in a closed hearse or failing such, in an ordinary closed van (truck) or automobile, placed in such a way as to prevent movement. The impervious coffin may be conveyed also in the baggage compartment of a passenger aircraft or in a cargo aircraft and may be equipped with a vent or safety valve provided that precautions are taken to prevent the escape of liquids or nauseous gases. In case of transportation by sea the impervious coffin, in order to preclude movement, must be packed in an ordinary wooden case, or one made of other material, or may be placed in specially designed fabric container.
Article 8. Regardless of the mode of transportation, wreaths, flowers and other
similar funeral articles may be sent with the coffin only when it is permitted
by the provisions in force in the country to which it is being sent. FINAL PROVISIONS Article 9. The above formalities may be reduced either through bilateral arrangements or by joint decision in particular cases. Article 10. The transportation of remains exhumed after the period established in the local provisions in force have elapsed, and the transportation of ashes, shall not be subject to health or other special measures.
INTERPOL RESOLUTION DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION BEARING IN MIND, firstly, that a Working Party was set up to draft a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Form (49th General Assembly session, Manila, 1980) and secondly that, in view of the increasing importance of the subject, a Sub-Committee composed of police officers, forensic pathologists and forensic odontologists was established in 1986; NOTING THAT the said Sub-Committee has now finalised a modified and computerised version of the DVI Form and a modified version of its associated DVI Guide (previously DVI Manual), which should prove entirely satisfactory and which have been adopted by the Working Party, now being recognised as the Interpol Standing Committee on DVI; RECOGNISING the basic human right of individuals to be properly identified after death and that the identification of disaster victims continues to be of increasing international importance with regard to police investigations, in addition to other legal, religious and cultural requirements; The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in Antalya from 23rd October 1996 to 29th October 1996, at its 65th session: ADOPTS the said Form and its associated Guide; RECOMMENDS THAT all the Organisations member countries use the Disaster Victim Identification Form in all appropriate circumstances including cases in which there is only one victim to be identified; AUTHORISES the Secretary General to adapt the DVI Form and the associated Guide whenever appropriate, pursuant to technical developments and/or other professional needs in the field; DECIDES THAT the Working Party on DVI, now recognised as, and in the future to be named 'The Interpol Standing Committee on Disaster Victim Identification', shall;
Draft Interpol Guidelines Introduction One of the most important considerations in the aftermath of a disaster is the relationship between bereaved families and the Police. The term disaster in this context should be taken as any incident involving a large amount of casualties and where a Disaster Victim Identification Co-ordinator has been appointed. These guidelines will not distinguish between types of incidents that may require a DVI approach but will offer generic advice on Family Liaison in the immediate aftermath, which is intended to make sure that families are treated appropriately, with respect and according to their diverse needs. The hours and days following a disaster tend to be very intense and confusing for all concerned. None more so than the families of the missing who are desperately in need of information. Having reported their loved one missing it would be positively good practice to appoint a Family Liaison Officer to the family. The benefits of having this dedicated point of contact would be:
INTERPOL DVI FAMILY LIAISON STRATEGY Strategic Aim To ensure the most effective investigation possible into the death of an individual in a mass fatality incident, by the immediate implementation of a Family Liaison Strategy, which will include the deployment of a trained Police Investigator to every family, believed to have lost a relative in the incident.
Victim Identification Investigation Community Reassurance Support from other agencies
The identification of what makes up an individual's family is extremely important to the delivery of the Family Liaison Function. In law enforcement terms it is important to recognise the potentially wide variations of the 'family' which can be influenced by culture, lifestyle and just by preference. In the context of this document the term family should include,
Particular care should be taken to establish the wishes of the family at all times with sensitivity and understanding exercised around families with diverse lifestyles. Assumptions about the identification of a family should never be made and the DVI Commander should try at all times to respond to the wishes of surviving family member(s). The Main Roles identified for the effective delivery of a Family Liaison Strategy:
The DVI Commander will be responsible for the overall strategy relating to recovery, identification and repatriation issues. Family Liaison will fall within this strategy and as such will require a distinct strategy of its own which will serve to complement and enhance the overall effort. The strategy should seek to address staffing levels, clear chains of command and an agreed disclosure policy in order that only approved information is given to families. The Key Objectives of the Family Liaison strategy should be:
The level of disclosure to families should be as high as possible as at this time they will be in desperate need for information and it is important that the Police can identify themselves as the primary and most reliable source. Efforts to do this will be appreciated by families and will help maintain their confidence in the Police Operation. The DVI Commander should appoint a Family Liaison Co-ordinator(s) to manage the Family Liaison Officers both roles will be covered in this document.
DVI Commanders should consider appointing a supervisor to co-ordinate the work of the Family Liaison Officers. The role of the FLC will be to:
The role of the FLO involves the day to day management of the relationship with the family in the investigation and close liaison with the co-ordinator and the DVI Commander to ensure that families are treated appropriately, professionally and in accordance with their diverse needs. It may involve working in a variety of situations in very demanding and stressful conditions over sustained periods of time. It is essential that the FLOs are selected from volunteers who have the appropriate skills and qualities. All FLOs should already be trained to a standard of DVI awareness that would allow them to have a full understanding of the ongoing operation. This is extremely important, as they will need to explain these processes to a bereaved family. They should also be able to explain the roles of the other key practitioners. The primary role of the FLO will be that of an investigator. In performing that role the FLO should be mindful of the boundaries that exist between offering professional and practical support as opposed to offering personal and emotional support. These are areas that the family should seek the support of other identified appropriate agencies. The FLO may be able to assist in the identification of such agencies. The provision of an advice pack at the outset would be advantageous to the FLO and would answer many of the questions the family may need answered over a period of time. The Co-ordinator should be able to assist in this process by doing much of this research in the background whilst allowing the FLO to get on with the important task of gathering Ante Mortem information.
Selection of people to act as FLOs It is essential that the FLOs are primarily if not exclusively dedicated to the task. To perform the function effectively they must be an integral part of the DVI Team. Consideration should be given to the deployment of a deputy FLO. Such a deployment has benefits for the family and the investigation in that it provides for greater resilience in the liaison function at times when the principal FLO is unavailable due to sickness, leave, court commitments etc. In considering the deployment of the FLOs the DVI Commander should take account of the FLOs ability to perform that role effectively at that time. The following circumstances will have a bearing on the selection process:
On occasions, gender may be a critical factor for cultural reasons. Where the victim's family are from a minority group or particular lifestyle diversity, consideration should be given to the deployment of an FLO with particular knowledge and experience of that community. In the event of a terrorist incident, or other similarly motivated attack where one or more minority communities have been affected advice should be sought from community advocates when writing a Family Liaison Strategy in order that it reflects the needs of those communities at that time.
At the end of any course designed for the training of FLOs the students should be able to:
As with any deployment, the Family Liaison function needs to be included on its own in any generic risk assessment. This should be reviewed on a regular basis with particular attention being paid to when the circumstances of the liaison change in respect of:
Much of this assessment work can be carried out by the FLO themselves as they go about their business but it is the duty of the FLO Co-ordinator and the DVI Commander to ensure that they are regularly reviewed as part of the overall management and supervision function. It should also be emphasised that the 'risk' that is referred to is not meant as that which applies only to the individual FLO but to any risk that has been identified by means of the Family Liaison function that could cause potential harm to the confidence of the family and the broader community in the overall Police response.
It is extremely important that the appointed Family Liaison Officer(s) become the primary point of contact with the family. The needs of the investigation have to be balanced against the needs of the bereaved. Previous experience has shown that one of the most difficult things that families have had to endure after a disaster has been the constant requests for information from them from many different sources. There may be a limit to which the Police can resolve this with other agencies but we can at least make sure that there are no duplication of requests to families from the Police by making sure that any requests of the family are fed through the FLO and marked up according to their priority. This way the FLO can make sure that long periods of time are not spent on issues that can be resolved later. The role of the FLO Co-ordinator can be influential in achieving this aim by prioritising requests to the FLO. There may be times throughout the investigation when the families request a meeting with the DVI Commander. In the event of mass fatalities the DVI Commander may be unable to see families individually, therefore it may be advantageous for the DVIC to bring the families together to be given periodic briefings, which can be arranged by the FLOs in order to meet the needs of all parties.
All communication with the family whether by telephone or in person must be recorded in a way that can be reproduced later for supervision and examination. It is recommended that an FLO create a log of communications with the family which can show at a glance the history of the Police/Family relationship. Any requests made by the family or concerns that have been raised should be recorded and brought to the attention of the Co-ordinator as soon as possible. If for any reason the Police cannot resolve the families concerns then a full explanation should be given to the family as to why and this must be subsequently recorded in the Family Liaison Officers log. Copies of the FLO log should be handed to the FLO Co-ordinator in order that they can be submitted to the investigation and that any other actions arising from that interaction can be raised. A separate FLO log must be completed for each family. These should be retained by the FLO during the investigation and handed in at the end.
The media will always have a major part to play in the aftermath of a mass fatality incident. The 24hr media coverage that is available now has ensured that images from the scene of a disaster can be in people's homes within minutes of it happening. The DVI Commander will have to balance the need to use the media to generate information and intelligence with the need to protect the family from unwarranted media intrusion. It is important therefore that any media strategy that is generated by the Police has been discussed in advance with the family. This will include the release of photographs, which may have been given to Police by the family. Video records showing family members should also be shown to the family first and the evidential value of releasing them to the media explained to the family. Having a dedicated Media Officer will help take this pressure off the DVI Commander and could also assist the FLO with briefings to the family about developing issues likely to appear in the press. The FLO on behalf of the DVI Commander should discourage the family from having an independent media strategy emphasising the need for a jointly agreed strategy. It is the responsibility of the FLO to keep the DVI Commander aware of any issues arising within the family that could cause adverse media attention.
In the event of a large scale disaster where the families end up making their way to the area, it may be advisable to consider setting up a central resource centre. This would assist Police and families alike by having a focal point where relatives could attend for information and aid. In the short term this could help to maximise the Family Liaison effort by having FLO resources available to capture all the ante mortem information as well as forensic samples in the immediate aftermath. By its very nature this type of resource would need the involvement of other agencies. However it would allow families to make informed choices about what their immediate needs were. Trips to the scene could be organised in such a way that they did not interfere with any rescue or recovery work that was going on. Also it would minimise the risk of relatives just turning up unaccompanied at the scene which can be harrowing and disruptive to DVI Teams working there. Suitable premises would have to be identified that were not too near the scene but had sufficient effective transport links. A more in depth plan of such a resource can be made available if required. Exit Strategies The primary role of the Police FLO is that of investigator. Therefore it is necessary for all the key practitioners in the delivery of a Family Liaison Strategy to recognise when that role is finished. The FLO Co-ordinator and the DVI Commander should have no problem in identifying when this happens. However the FLO can sometimes if not supervised appropriately become over involved with a bereaved family. That is why the role of the FLO needs to be explained thoroughly to the family at the outset. The FLO should keep the family updated in order that the family are aware that contact will eventually end. The FLO Co-ordinator must be checking regularly that the exit strategy is being implemented. Failure to do this may encourage the family to become over dependant on the Police when their actual needs can now be met better by other non-police agencies. It is also important that the FLO is allowed for their own benefit to step away from the family at the end of the investigation. A well managed, well supervised FLO Team should not necessarily suffer any ill effects from conducting their role. However it is essential that they be given the same access as other practitioners performing key roles as regards debriefing. Debriefing of officers must be mandatory at the end of an incident. This will help maintain their welfare and also draw out any operational issues that may need to be reviewed prior to any subsequent deployment. It will also help to ensure that learning takes place within the organisation every time we deal with a disaster.
The provision of Police Family Liaison following a disaster is essential in effectively managing the two-way flow of information. It allows for more effective media handling Faster more reliable identification and repatriation Better inter-agency co-operation to benefit of families Family/Community/Media confidence in the work of the Police
In order to ensure quality support to member countries, in the early days of implementation, it is recommended that Interpol Headquarters Lyon maintain a database of those with recognised expertise in this area. The database would enable access to up to date experience in this field, which may assist member countries. Any Family Liaison Co-ordinator could therefore be able to seek advice or share recent experience with other similar practitioners. This could enhance the role of Interpol in providing International assistance whilst providing member countries with an extra resource following a mass disaster. This could also however feed into the Interpol Secure Website, which could maintain a library of resource material. As we increasingly live in a multi cultural society the benefit of being able to share our combined knowledge with each other to the benefit of our citizens could certainly assist in a unique and dynamic way. Every disaster impacts upon families, every disaster impacts upon communities. It is indiscriminate in who it affects. Managing the diverse nature of the challenges before us will be greatly enhanced by working together.
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