AFAD 25 Years Video Teaser

This AFAD video teaser is an opening salvo of the yearlong campaign and fight Against Enforced Disappearances and for the Protection, not Persecution, of Human Rights Defenders, across Asia.

a continuing crime
a disappearing act

What's Happening

BGD 001 / 0813 / OBS 074
 Arbitrary arrest
Bangladesh
 August 10, 2013

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of the arbitrary arrest of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Odhikar, a member of OMCT General Assembly and Executive Committee Member of Forum Asia, at his Gulshan residence, in Dhaka.

According to the information received, on August 10, 2013, at 10.20 pm, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan was arrested by eight or nine detectives of the Detective Branch of Police (DB) as he was returning home with his family. The detectives, who brought a white microbus apparently belonging to the United Commercial Bank and a blue and silver coloured mitsubishi pajero, asked Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan to follow them. Reportedly, Mr. Rahman Khan was brought to the headquarters of the police DB in Dhaka.

Fr. Rudy

The eleventh of July is a special day for victims of enforced disappearance in the Philippines. It is a day of remembering the well-loved Redemptorist priest, Fr. Rudy Romano, who disappeared in Cebu City on July 11, 1985. A staunch defender of human rights during the Marcos dictatorship, Fr. Rudy became the voice of the voiceless farmers, workers and urban poor. He championed their issues in the many organizations that he headed: as executive secretary of the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace; chairperson of the Coalition Against People’s Persecution; vice chairperson for the Visayas of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and Cebu Oust Movement for the Advancement of Nationalism and Democracy, among others.

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) denounces the ill treatment and physical manhandling by a traffic officer against AFAD Council member and Advocate Parvez Imroz, Chair of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.

Based on accounts by APDP, on 2 July 2013 at 10:30 in the morning, Mr. Imroz was driving into the High Court complex in Srinagar with his nephew when DSP (traffic) police Riyaz Halwai approached his vehicle. He and his nephew were ordered to move in a different direction. Before allowing them the reasonable time to do so, DSP Riyaz was abusive and threatening, which was questioned by Parvez Imroz. As the policemen in Kashmir are not accustomed to being questioned and behaving decently with Kashmiris, DSP Riyaz got further infuriated, lost control, increased his abuses and physically manhandled Parvez Imroz. Perturbed with this behavior, Parvez Imroz protested and remarked that he will not remain silent on this abusive behaviour. DSP Riyaz then tore his shirt to fabricate and falsely implicate Parvez Imroz.

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) calls on all States to STOP the practice of TORTURE and punish the perpetrators as it supports the commemoration of the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Held every 26th of June, this day is dedicated to create awareness and seek support to stop the practice of torture, considered by the UN as one of the vilest acts perpetrated by human beings to fellow human beings. The systematic and widespread use of torture is a crime against humanity. The International Day for Torture Survivors coincides with the entry into force 26 years ago today, of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It has been ratified by 153 countries as of June 25, 2013. Yet, its practice is still widespread.

The Federation

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