Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD), a FORUM-ASIA member in Mongolia, demanded a Canadian mining company to stop its human rights violations on local people and the Mongolian government to control its exploitation. CHRD's statement below, issued on 22 June 2009, was endorsed by 65 civil society organisations (CSOs) in the country. Center for [ Read more ]

The Asian NGOs Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) has called on the Malaysian government to comply fully with the Paris Principles following the tabling of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) (Amendments) Bill 2009. The Bill was read for the first time in the Malaysian Parliament on 22 June 2009. The Asian [ Read more ]

The National Commission for Justice and Peace issued a statement on 3 June 2009 condemning the religious taxation on religious minorities in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA). According to the statement, many non-Muslim families have no choice but lave their land. The National Commission for Justice and Peace issued a statement on 3 June [ Read more ]

Due to a leaked military documentation which was deemed confidential, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, a FORUM-ASIA member, issued a statement on 19 June 2009 denouncing its authors. The document lists a civil society organisation as an enemy. Due to a leaked military documentation which was deemed confidential, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, [ Read more ]

In an open letter addressed to ASEAN's High Level Panel and Secretary General today, 200 civil societies urged that the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the ASEAN human rights body include two vital elements for an effective human rights body: the mandates to carry out human rights protection and the provision for independent human rights [ 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 organisations in the region are concerned that ASEAN is about to establish a human rights body that is below international standards. (Bangkok, 18 June 2009) Civil society organisations in the region are concerned that ASEAN is about to establish a human rights body that is below international standards. The Solidarity for Asian People's [ Read more ]

On 11 June 2009, 35 organisations appealed to all the member states of the UN Human Rights Council to act "responsibly and respectfully". Their letter below says that the governments are "severely eroding the Council's legitimacy and credibility" by "attacking" and "threatening" Special Rapporteurs, while manipulating the Special Procedures. On 11 June 2009, 35 organisations [ Read more ]

Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) issued a statement on 28 May 2009 urging countries to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. According to the UN, there were cases of enforced disappearances in 21 Asian countries last year. Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) issued a [ Read more ]

Although the foreign minister of Bangladesh expressed the policy of "zero tolerance" at the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, civil society of the country says that situation has not changed since then. Below is the statement of FORUM-ASIA and its member Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), issued on 10 June 2009 [ Read more ]