France, Germany voice concern over scrapping Odhikar's registration

France and Germany have expressed their deep concern over scrapping the registration of Odhikar, a non-government organisation (NGO), by the government.

In a Facebook post, the French embassy recently said, "We are concerned by the situation of the NGO Odhikar, which was temporarily denied the renewal of its registration."

The two countries salute the important work of this NGO to which the Franco-German Human Rights Prize was awarded in December 2017 by the French and German ministers of foreign affairs.

Both countries have reiterated their attachment to freedom of opinion and expression and to the promotion and protection of all human rights throughout the world.

UNB adds: Odhikar's application for renewal of its registration with the NGO Affairs Bureau has been pending since 2014.

In 2014, Odhikar's bank account was also frozen.