Statement of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) on the International Day of Criminal Justice

On this year’s International Day of Criminal Justice, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) stands in solidarity with the families of victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines and across Asia who continue to fight for truth, justice, and accountability.

AFAD-FIND Joint Statement

Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) On the Supreme Court's Issuance of Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data in Favor of James Jazmines and the Directive to the Marcos Jr. Administration

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) in the Philippines welcome the recent decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in G.R. No. 276816, dated May 6, 2025, granting the Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data in favor of James Valera Jazmines, a disappeared activist from Albay. This rare and crucial development is a reaffirmation of the judiciary's constitutional role in safeguarding human rights and upholding the right to truth, justice, and protection against enforced disappearances.

India: International human rights groups reiterate call for release of detained Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez on his birthday

18 June 2025. On the eve of the 48th birthday of Khurram Parvez, a globally respected human rights defender from Indian-administered Kashmir, we, the undersigned organizations, renew our call for his immediate and unconditional release. Khurram has now spent over three and a half years in arbitrary detention under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) – an Indian
counter-terrorism law that has been widely condemned by experts and the United Nations (UN) for violating legal rules and norms, including by enabling prolonged pre-trial incarceration.

Bangladesh: Extend the Mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to Ensure Truth and Accountability

We, the undersigned international human rights organizations, urge the Interim Government of Bangladesh to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances until at least December 31, 2025. While the Commission’s mandate is set to expire on June 30, victims and their families deserve adequate time for the Commission to complete its mandate to conduct independent, impartial, and credible investigations into the disappearances that took place under Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government over the past fifteen years.