Odhikar Bangladesh Human Rights Monitoring Report September 1-30, 2014

Odhikar believes that ‘democracy’ is a form of the State and presupposes that freedom and human rights are its foundations. Democracy is not merely a process of electing a ruler. Democracy is the result of the peoples’ struggle for inalienable rights, which become the fundamental premise to constitute the State defining collective aspirations and responsibilities. Therefore, the individual freedoms and democratic aspirations of the citizens – and consequently, peoples’ collective rights and responsibilities - must be the foundational principles of the State.

AFAD 5th Congress Statement

The fifth Congress of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), held in Manila from 22-25 September and attended by participants from ten countries – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Jammu and Kashmir in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand and Timor-Leste renewed its commitment to fight against impunity and build a world without disappearances.

AFAD is strengthened by the solidarity messages of Mr. Ariel Dulitzky, Chair of the (UNWGEID) and Mr. Emmanuel Decaux, Chair of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearance (UNCED) and friends from various regional and international organizations who recognized the significant contribution of AFAD in the fight against enforced disappearances in various ways.

Conference Statement: Sharing Best Practices in Advocating for Legislation Against Enforced Disappearances (Updated)

Conference Statement

September 17-20, 2014, Manila, Philippines - We, the participants in the conference on “Sharing Best Practices in Advocating for Legislation Against Enforced Disappearances” coming from organizations from Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and the United States of America are convened in Manila, Philippines, the first and only Asian country that has enacted a law against enforced disappearances, but has not yet signed and ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

AFAD demands immediate arrest of the accused involved in the killing of Krishna Prasad Adhikary and take responsibility of forcing Nanda Prasad to death and protect the life of Gangamaya.

Asian Federation Against Enforced Disappearances (AFAD), gathered in Manila for the fifth congress is deeply shocked to hear that the government of Nepal forced Nanda Prasad Adhikary to die for continuously denying justice for the abduction and brutal killing of his beloved son Krishna Prasad Adhikary. AFAD is also seriously concerned about the critical state of Gangamaya Adhikary’s health and requests the Government of Nepal to take all the measures including the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the killing of her son. The couple was on hunger strike for more than 333 days for demanding credible investigation and prosecution of those involved in the killing of their son. Even after making repeated promises, the Government did not conduct credible investigation that could lead to the prosecution of those involved. The Government protected the perpetrators and condoned the attack on human rights activists who raised their voices for justice for the Adhikary couple.