I've always recognized "disappearing" as a technique that the fascists predominantly used throughout time and throughout the world. Disappearing someone is not just killing them or removing them from a position, it's taking them away suddenly without any knowledge of their friends and loved ones. It's a technique used to paralyze the population because they have no idea what the consequences of their actions could be for the people whose fates are in limbo. Generally, they were murdered, but the family never confirms until decades later if ever.