Asian Federation Against 
What's Happening
A Campaign in Two Fronts, Commemorating the International Week of the Disappeared 2023
To commemorate this year's International Week of the Disappeared (IWD), Member Organizations (MOs) of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) conducted a campaign on two fronts, continuously calling on the government to end enforced disappearances (ED), while at the same time raising general public's awareness on ED. The IWD reminds us of the work left to be done in attaining a world without disappearances. As the struggle continues, AFAD and its MOs remain steadfast in speaking and seeking truth about enforced disappearances.
BANGLADESH: Government must investigate all cases of enforced disappearance, stop acts of retaliation, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure the security of victims’ families
Melbourne/ Hong Kong/ Manila/ Kuala Lumpur/ Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Paris/ Washington, D.C.; 25 May 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are seriously concerned over the unabated enforced disappearances in Bangladesh amid the denial of access to justice for the victims. We also express our deep concern regarding the plight of the victims’ families, lack of accountability for such violations, and lack of due process and judicial safeguards to the victims and their families.
Bangladesh: Stop Targeting Odhikar and Its Leadership Respect the Fundamental Rights to Freedom of Association and Expression
Bangladeshi authorities must end reprisals against Odhikar and its leadership and respect the fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression. Those working to document and expose human rights violations should be able to conduct their important work without fear of harassment, intimidation, and reprisals,.
India: End reprisals against the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and human rights defenders in Kashmir
Sixteen human rights organisations today called on the Indian authorities to immediately stop the reprisals against human rights defenders and organizations in Jammu and Kashmir, especially Khurram Parvez, Irfan Mehraj, and the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). Khurram Parvez[1] has been arbitrarily detained since 22 November 2021 as a reprisal for his human rights work, including documentation and advocacy in Jammu and Kashmir. We are alarmed by new criminal cases filed against Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj, a journalist and human rights defender, in March 2023, and the ongoing reprisals against JKCCS.
