- Category: Statements
Year 2017 starts with a fresh wave of disappearance in Pakistan. At least Four activist from different part of the country have been reported gone missing in first week of January 2017. It clearly shows zero tolerance policy of the government of Pakistan for human rights activists, Journalists and any other outspoken professionals.
- Category: Statements
Manila, 15 December 2016 – Today marks the 4th anniversary of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, a community development worker in Laos and recipient of the distinguished Ramon Magsaysay Award for emergent leadership..
- Category: Statements
MANILA, 10 December 2016 - On this day, the 68th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) pays tribute to all human rights defenders (HRDs) in the world.
While disrespect for basic human rights continues to increase and victims in all parts of the globe are still fighting for truth and justice, today, in commemorating Human Rights Day, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) acknowledges and recognizes the fundamental work carried out by human rights defenders everywhere - particularly in SouthEast and South Asia.
- Category: Statements
5 December 2016
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, express serious concern over the rapid efforts by members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines to adopt a bill restoring the death penalty in the country.
On 29 November 2016, the Sub-Committee on Judicial Reforms of the House Committee on Justice, which is chaired by Congressman Marcelino “Ching” Veloso, approved a bill restoring the death penalty in the Philippines by railroading the proceedings in the committee and ignoring important questions from other lawmakers questioning the need for the legislation or its urgent passage.
- Category: Statements
Khurram Parvez, chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), was ordered to be released by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday, November 25. Parvez has been in detention under the Preventive Detention clause of the Public Safety Act of 1978 for more than two months. The ruling came after said Court gave the Indian government several chances to provide substantiating evidence for their complaint against Parvez, but to no avail. The Court ruled that the detention was “illegal” due to its continued failure to clarify the basis for the allegations against Parvez. Similarly, the Court declared that the “detaining authority has abused its powers.”
- Category: Statements
Today the case of Khurram Parvez, AFAD Chairperson, will be reviewed again in front of the High Court of J&K.
On this occasion, the human rights defenders participating in the 7th Asian Human Rights Forum in Sri Lanka, call for Parvez’s immediate release, and for the charges against him to be dismissed.
- Category: Statements
27 January 2016, Manila, Philippines — The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) strongly condemns the deplorable harassment of Timor-Leste State agents against Adelio da Costa Fernandes, a human rights activist working for Asosiasaun HAK, a member organization of AFAD, that took place on 26th January 2016.
On the occasion of the visit of the Indonesian President Mr. Joko Widodo in Timor-Leste, the Timor-Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL) went to HAK’s office asking to use the venue as a “security base” given its proximity to the Indonesian Embassy. Upon seeing that one member of HAK staff, Adelio da Costa Fernandes, was wearing a t-shirt with “Free West Papua" printed on the front, one F-FDTL forced said staff to take it off because of the statement.
- Category: Statements
Manila, Philippines—The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) strongly condemns the deportation of its Council Member and former Chairperson, Mugiyanto, by Malaysian authorities last January 7, 2016. Mugiyanto, an Indonesian human rights defender and co-founder of the Indonesian Association of the Families of the Disappeared (IKOHI), arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport that day at around 11:30 AM where he was then held and interrogated by three police officers, including one anti-terror unit. Mugiyanto was travelling to Kuala Lumpur on invitation to speak at the #YellowMania forum organized by Malaysian electoral rights group, Bersih.