On 2 July 2009, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) welcomed the progress toward establishing the ASEAN human rights body. (Source: IACHR) Washington, D.C., July 2, 2009 – In the year of its 50th anniversary, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) welcomes the progress toward establishing a regional human rights body by the [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is gravely alarmed that gross human rights violators with well-documented cases are the candidates for the second direct presidential election in Indonesia on 8 July 2009. If this is the case, it would be quite unlikely that the agenda to fight impunity become a priority in the next administration's plan as the government would [ Read more ]

On 13 September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA) adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, with only four votes against this resolution. Though not a binding document, the adoption of this Declaration was seen as a huge step forward in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It stands, [ Read more ]

Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), FORUM-ASIA member in Bangladesh, questioned the government for trying the perpetrators of the Pilkhana killing under Army Act. The organisation said, in the statement below issued on 28 May 2009, "We want the culprits stand trial for the massacre, but at the same time we want to see transparency in [ Read more ]

On the occasion of the 64th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi, pro-democracy leader of Burma today, FORUM-ASIA reiterates its call for Burmese authorities to end the ongoing sham trial, to withdraw all charges against her together with the other 2,156 prisoners of conscience in Burma, immediately and unconditionally. (Bangkok, 19 June 2009) On the [ Read more ]

The fate of a Tibetan Buddhist monk from the famous Larung Gar Buddhist Institute of Sertha in present-day Sichuan Province, who was arrested last year during the pan-Tibet protest, remains unknown year after the incident, according to information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). (Source: Tibetan Centre for Human Rights [ Read more ]

Torture is mother of all human rights violations. Torture gave birth to various human rights violations from extra-judicial killing to denial of the right to fair trial. International human rights law posits torture as the highest norm of crimes. Thus, it makes torturer as the common enemy of all mankind (hostis humanis generis). (Source: KontraS, [ Read more ]

Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (KASUM) welcomed the examination process of the South Jakarta Districts Court's Panel of Judges who had set free Muchdi Pr in the indictment of planning the murder of the Deceased Munir, they are Judge Soeharto, Ahmad Yuzak and Haswandi. This examination is expected to bring justice for victims and bring [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA denounces the continued detention of 14 Burmese refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia for celebrating Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday in a peaceful assembly on 19 June 2009.   (22 June 2009, Bangkok) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) denounces the continued detention of 14 Burmese refugees and asylum seekers in [ Read more ]

Civil society welcomed the decision of the Malaysian government to provide a mandatory paid day off for foreign domestic workers in the country. In a statement issued on 17 June 2009, about 30 organisations called on the government to "incorporate a mandatory standard employment contract into the Employment Act according the same range of labour [ Read more ]