Defend the Defenders: An open letter the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the protection of human rights defenders in Asia

The Asian Federation against Enforced Disappearances (AFAD) joins the international human rights community in strongly denouncing the conviction by the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka sentencing Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Secretary and Director of human rights organization Odhikar respectively, to two years imprisonment for being fearless activists in defense of human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Bangladesh.

Women are Pillars of Strength in the Struggle to End Enforced Disappearances

On the observance of The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances (IDD), the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) emphasizes the importance of human lives and condemns any act that goes against basic human rights. In doing so, we bring attention to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED), adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 23 December 2010, that states “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for enforced disappearance.”

2023 BANGLADESH: Government must cease enforced disappearances, stop harassment of the victims’ families and hold perpetrators accountable

A Joint Statement by Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN), Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP), International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Eleos Justice, Monash University, Maayer Daak, Odhikar, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) on the occasion of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

2023 BANGLADESH: Government must cease enforced disappearances, stop harassment of the victims’ families and hold perpetrators accountable

Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Hong Kong/Kuala Lumpur/ Manila/ Melbourne/ Paris/ Washington, D.C.; 29 August 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are gravely concerned over the continued commission of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh and the denial of access to justice for the victims. The acts of enforced disappearance occur with impunity in Bangladesh and have become an institutionalised practice of repression in violation of Articles 9 and 16 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Articles 31, 32 and 33 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The government uses enforced disappearances as a tool to suppress political movements and silence dissenting voices, creating a climate of fear in the country.

Ten years of extreme state repression on Odhikar

Dhaka, 9 August 2023

10th August marks ten years of extreme state repression on Odhikar. On 10 August 2013, Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan was picked up by members of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police for publishing a report on extrajudicial killings, centering around the Hefazate Islam rally that took place on 5 th and 6th May 2013. Later, Adilur Rahman Khan and Odhikar’s Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan were charged under the Information and Communication Technology Act, 2006 (Amended in 2009). They were released on bail after spending 62 and 25 days in jail respectively. The court case against them has been going on for 10 years and the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka may give its judgement any day now.