- 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: News
On the morning of December 10, President Tsai Ing-wen attended a ceremony for the presentation of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy's (TFD) 2016 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award. In addition to presenting the award to the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), the president praised the TFD for its promotion of democracy and human rights, and called upon them to continue acting as a force for progress in Asia so that the concepts of democracy, freedom, and human rights will take deep root in Asia and even throughout the world.
- 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: News
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Asian Democracy and Human Rights Award
Mary Aileen D. Bacalso, Secretary-General
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances
Taipei, Taiwan
December 10, 2016
Her Excellency President of Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen, Chairman of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Mr. Su Jia-chyuan, President of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Mr. Hsu Shu-chien, friends, ladies and gentlemen,
- 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.”