The Issue
The right to the truth is an inherent part of international law, and is in fact intimately linked to many rights, such as the right to legal protection, to an effective investigation, to seek information, as well as non-derogable rights such as the right to be free from torture.
An individual victim or family member of a victim suffering a human rights violation has the right to know the truth surrounding the heinous crime committed against them. At the same time, society has the right to know the truth surrounding such crimes as well, to ensure that they are not repeated, and to allow society to move forward.
Without the right to the truth, many other rights cannot be realized, as seen in many countries of Asia.