- Category: Statements
Odhikar unequivocally condemns the practice of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh and anywhere else in the world. This grave violation not only strips individuals of their liberty and dignity, but also inflicts lasting trauma on their families and communities. Enforced disappearance constitutes a crime under international law and must be addressed through urgent, effective, and rights-based measures.
- Category: Statements
Joint Statement by Defence of Human Rights, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Amnesty International Group 40 USA, Advocacy Forum-Nepal, CVSJ, Asian Federation Against Involuntary & Enforced Disappearances (AFAD), Baloch Voice for Justice, Baloch Yakjeeti Committee (BYC), Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR), CAGE UK, FIND Philippines, Families of the Disappeared (FOD), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), Jonas Burgos Movement, KontraS, Karapatan, Desaparecidos (Families of the Disappeared for Justice), Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared (FEDEFAM), Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line, Odhikar, Sindhian National Congress and Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh.
- Category: Statements
On this year’s International Day of Criminal Justice, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) stands in solidarity with the families of victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines and across Asia who continue to fight for truth, justice, and accountability.
- Category: Statements
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) On the Supreme Court's Issuance of Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data in Favor of James Jazmines and the Directive to the Marcos Jr. Administration
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) in the Philippines welcome the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in G.R. No. 276816, dated May 6, 2025, granting the Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data in favor of James Valera Jazmines, a disappeared activist from Albay. This rare and crucial development is a reaffirmation of the judiciary's constitutional role in safeguarding human rights and upholding the right to truth, justice, and protection against enforced disappearances.
- Category: Statements
18 June 2025. On the eve of the 48th birthday of Khurram Parvez, a globally respected human rights defender from Indian-administered Kashmir, we, the undersigned organizations, renew our call for his immediate and unconditional release. Khurram has now spent over three and a half years in arbitrary detention under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) – an Indian
counter-terrorism law that has been widely condemned by experts and the United Nations (UN) for violating legal rules and norms, including by enabling prolonged pre-trial incarceration.
- Category: Statements
We, the undersigned international human rights organizations, urge the Interim Government of Bangladesh to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances until at least December 31, 2025. While the Commission’s mandate is set to expire on June 30, victims and their families deserve adequate time for the Commission to complete its mandate to conduct independent, impartial, and credible investigations into the disappearances that took place under Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government over the past fifteen years.
- Category: Statements
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) welcomes the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged Crimes Against Humanity. On March 11, the ICC through the INTERPOL and the Philippine National Police (PNP) served the arrest warrant to Duterte, instructing for his immediate surrender to the custody of the ICC. As of today, March 14, Duterte is scheduled to make his initial appearance before the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber.
- Category: Statements
On this International Women’s Day , the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of women leading the fight against enforced disappearances. Their struggle transcends the search for missing loved ones—it is a profound resistance against systemic oppression, intersectional discrimination, gender-based violence, economic marginalization, and digital repression. Women, particularly those impacted by enforced disappearances, are not merely victims but leaders, organizers, and human rights defenders shaping transformative justice movements.