- Category: Statements
Manila: Today, in observance of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) stands in solidarity with the victims of torture across the globe and unequivocally condemns this egregious practice.
Despite 170 parties and 83 signatories to the Convention against Torture (CAT) which came into force over three decades ago, torture persists across continents. States continue to perpetrate this offense routinely and countless people become victims. Torture is a contemptible act that causes extreme and irreversible psychological and physical damage on the individual. It is an inhumane, degrading and cruel treatment or punishment to which no human being should be subjected.
- Category: Statements
A Joint Statement by the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, Asian Human Rights Commission, International Federation for Human Rights, Odhikar, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and World Organisation Against Torture on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2020
Manila/Hong Kong/Paris/Dhaka/Washington, D.C./Geneva, 25 June 2020: On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (26 June), the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Odhikar, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) remember and pay tribute to victims of torture and stand in solidarity with the victims and their families.
- Category: Statements
PRESS STATEMENT
June 5, 2020
Do Not Sideline the Transitional Justice Process under the Excuse of Covid-19
Proceed with the Act Amendment Process in a Credible Manner
15 years ago, on 6 June 2005, the then Maoists rebels had bombed a public bus in Badarmude of Chitwan district leaving 35 civilians and 3 security personnel dead and more than 70 civilians injured. Accountability Watch Committee (AWC) also recalls the brutal killing of 17-year-old Krishna Prasad Adhikary by the then Maoists rebels on 7 June 2004 at Bakulahar Chowk in Chitwan. The AWC strongly urges the Government of Nepal to address the demands of truth, justice and reparations being raised by conflict victims for years and to put an end to the deep-rooted culture of impunity, ensuring non-repetition of such crimes in the future.
- Category: Statements
Press statement For immediate release 5 June 2020 Kathmandu, Nepal
Victims of Badarmude, Madi, Chitwan are still waiting for truth, justice and reparation. 15 years ago, (23 Jestha 2062) Maoist cadres blew up the bus carrying civilians, resulting in the death of 35 civilians and 3 off duty security personnel. It injured more than 70 people, many of them are still suffering from severe physical and psychological trauma. Victims have been waiting for truth, justice and reparation for last 15 years.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
Rawalpindi; Defence of Human Rights on the occasion of International week of Disappeared has organized a number of online activities starting from 25th May 2020. The very last week of May, families of the disappeared and human rights activists around the world join handsin the activities to commemorate International Week of the Disappeared. This week is observed to show solidarity with the victim families of enforced disappearances. Most of the families have been struggling to find the truth and justice for decades now.This week shall be a reminder for all those families that they do not stand alone in this struggle to find their disappeared loved-ones.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
Philippines (24th to 30th May, 2020): The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) commemorates the International Week of the Disappeared, 2020 and stands in solidarity with the families of the disappeared across continents. Most of these families have been struggling for decades to know the truth about the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.
Amid the extraordinarily difficult circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, enforced disappearances along with torture, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, and other gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms persist.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
The COVID-19 pandemic cannot obliterate enforced disappearance. On the contrary, it may even exacerbate the perpetration of this global scourge.
As we kick off the International Week of the Disappeared (IWD) this year, we think of Joseph Jimeda, fondly called Dodong. On 07 May 2020, Dodong, a resident of Caloocan City left home for the Navotas City fish port to buy fish. Vending fish is his source of livelihood. His wife and children waited for him the whole day and through the night. But Dodong didn’t come home. For a week they were clueless of his whereabouts. Fear engulfed them as they anxiously searched for him. Finally Dodong surfaced with a harrowing tale to tell. He was arrested as he could not produce a Navotas City-issued quarantine pass. They then detained him along with more than 500 other alleged violators of enhanced community quarantine directives.
- Category: IDD-AFAD-MO
A Joint Statement by the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, Asian Human Rights Commission, International Federation for Human Rights and Odhikar on the occasion of International Week of the Disappeared 2020
Dhaka/Manila/Hong Kong/Paris, 25 May 2020: To commemorate International Week of the Disappeared (the last week of May), the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Odhikar remember and pay tribute to victims of enforced disappearance and stand in solidarity with the families of the disappeared during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.