- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
On the observance of The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances (IDD), the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) emphasizes the importance of human lives and condemns any act that goes against basic human rights. In doing so, we bring attention to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED), adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 23 December 2010, that states “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for enforced disappearance.”
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
A Joint Statement by Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN), Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP), International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Eleos Justice, Monash University, Maayer Daak, Odhikar, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) on the occasion of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
2023 BANGLADESH: Government must cease enforced disappearances, stop harassment of the victims’ families and hold perpetrators accountable
Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Hong Kong/Kuala Lumpur/ Manila/ Melbourne/ Paris/ Washington, D.C.; 29 August 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are gravely concerned over the continued commission of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh and the denial of access to justice for the victims. The acts of enforced disappearance occur with impunity in Bangladesh and have become an institutionalised practice of repression in violation of Articles 9 and 16 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Articles 31, 32 and 33 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The government uses enforced disappearances as a tool to suppress political movements and silence dissenting voices, creating a climate of fear in the country.
- Category: Statements
Dhaka, 9 August 2023
10th August marks ten years of extreme state repression on Odhikar. On 10 August 2013, Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan was picked up by members of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police for publishing a report on extrajudicial killings, centering around the Hefazate Islam rally that took place on 5 th and 6th May 2013. Later, Adilur Rahman Khan and Odhikar’s Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan were charged under the Information and Communication Technology Act, 2006 (Amended in 2009). They were released on bail after spending 62 and 25 days in jail respectively. The court case against them has been going on for 10 years and the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka may give its judgement any day now.
- Category: Statements
A joint statement by Defence of Human Rights, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Advocacy Forum-Nepal and CVSJ, Asian Federation Against Involuntary & Enforced Disappearances (AFAD), Baloch Voice for Justice, CAGE UK, FIND Philippines, Families of the Disappeared (FOD), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), KontraS, Karapatan Desaparecidos (Families of the Disappeared for Justice), Latin
American Federation of Associations for Relatives of the DetainedDisappeared (FEDEFAM), Nonviolence International, NKHR, Odhikar, Sindh Sujagi Forum, Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh and Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, on the commemoration of 18th year of Enforced Disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal
- Category: Statements
A Joint Statement by Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN), Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP), International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), Maayer Daak, Odhikar, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2023
Bangkok/Dhaka/Geneva/ Hong Kong/ Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Melbourne/Washington, D.C.: 24 June 2023: On the occasion of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, we, the undersigned organisations, are extremely concerned over the ongoing use of torture and degrading treatment in Bangladesh by law-enforcement agencies and security forces, and the systematic lack of remedies for victims. We urge the Government of Bangladesh to adhere to its human rights obligations under international law by ending its use of torture and ensuring all perpetrators are held to account. We reaffirm our solidarity with victims of torture, their families, and the human rights defenders who speak out on their behalf, and call on the authorities to ensure justice.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
Pahayag ng Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) sa paggunita sa International Week of the Disappeared sa taong 2023
Patuloy ang hamon sa mga pamilya ng desaparecidos ang pagsusulong ng katotohanan at paglaban sa pagbabaluktot ng kasaysayan, partikular sa bagong administrasyong ito na naghahatid ng pamilyar ngunit panibagong mga pangamba hinggil sa pagkamit ng matagal nang hinahangad na hustisya para sa mga biktima ng sapilitang pagwala.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
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.
- Category: Statements
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.