- Category: Statements
The Asian Federation Against Enforced Disappearance (AFAD) expresses its utter dismay that the case against the alleged abductor of forced disappeared victim Jonas Burgos lost in the lower court. This is a travesty of justice and a manifestation of the longstanding culture of impunity that is deeply embedded in Philippine society. The 9-page decision penned by Presiding Judge Alfonso C. Ruiz of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QCRTC), Branch 216, absolved Major Harry Baliaga Jr. of the crime of arbitrary detention of activist Jonas Burgos. This absolution passed despite the presence of a witness who identified Baliaga as the abductor of Jonas in a restaurant inside a Quezon City Mall, as well as other circumstantial evidence that connected the former to the abduction of the latter.
- Category: Statements
10 October 2017
The Asian Federation against Enforced Disappearances (AFAD) congratulates Odhikar Bangladesh on its 23rd founding anniversary. Odhikar which means “rights” in the Bangla language has been in the forefront of the struggle for human rights in Bangladesh for 23 long years. The precarious and high risk political situation in Bangladesh has not been an obstacle in your fight for a democratic country where rights are respected and protected.
- Category: Statements
Statement from Odhikar
Dhaka, October 09, 2017: Odhikar commemorates its 23rd founding anniversary on 10th October. It was established on this day in 1994 with the vision of a society based on the rights and responsibilities of State and citizens. Odhikar is striving to achieve this goal through human rights activities, based on the foundations established by principles of justice and rule of law, international declarations, conventions and treaties. For 23 years, has been diligently working to protect and promote the rights of the people through awareness, documentation, monitoring, research and advocacy.
- Category: Press Releases
AFAD calls on the Nepal government to withdraw the promotion of Col. Lama who is in fact more worthy of being demoted from his rank as military colonel if not stripped of his position in the military. The military force is an important organization to protect the rights of the people under the new government but AFAD believes that the present coalition government of the Maoist and Congress is not mindful of this important role and is more bent on neglecting its duties to prosecute officials who have been involved in human rights violations.
- Category: Statements
30 August 2017
Official Statement on the International Day of Enforced Disappearance
It has been 69 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document in the history of humankind, was put in place on 10 December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot, Paris, France. And yet, the world has not rid itself of one of the worst forms of human rights violation - enforced disappearance (ED). As of 2016, the UN has been considering 43,250 outstanding cases of ED in countries, a figure which is below the actual number of cases, many of which have been underreported due to various reasons.
- Category: Statements
Free Masood Janjua! Stop torture and injustice!
This had been a battle cry of many Pakistani human rights defenders and human rights organizations all over the world. It has been 12 years of endless search and investigations for the disappeared Pakistani educator, businessman and philanthropist Masood Janjua.
- Category: Press Releases
Press Release
20 July 2017
Authenticated by: Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Secretary General
MALAYSIA Manila—The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) urgently calls on the Malaysian authorities to immediately release recognized human rights lawyer and defender and AFAD Council member, Adilur Rhaman Khan. Khan, 57 was arrested by the Malaysian immigration police at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ( KLIA) at 4am, Thursday morning (July 20 12AM GST). He was accosted by Malaysian authorities without charges.
- Category: Press Releases
Press Release
20 July 2017
Authenticated by: Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Secretary General
Manila—The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) urgently calls on the Malaysian authorities to immediately release recognized human rights lawyer and defender and AFAD Council member, Adilur Rhaman Khan. Khan, 57 was arrested by the Malaysian immigration police at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ( KLIA) at 4am, Thursday morning (July 20 12AM GST). He was accosted by Malaysian authorities without charges.
