51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan   Delivered by Hafizullah Saeedi On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)  12 September 2022   Mr. President, Since the Taliban take over of Afghanistan on [ Read more ]

51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Enhanced interactive dialogue on the on the situation of human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan   Delivered by Horia Mosadiq On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)  13 September 2022   [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 9 September 2022) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and the exclusion of civil society in the ongoing ‘peace’  talks between the Government of Pakistan and the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) Pakistan, also known as Pakistan Taliban, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Although the [ Read more ]

An initiative of ProtectDefenders.eu, the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society Human rights defenders have the right to carry out their legitimate work safely and to access support and protection when they are at risk, especially those who operate in the most difficult contexts. Their right to defend rights has been [ Read more ]

In marking the five-year commemoration of the genocide committed against the Rohingya in 2017, 384 civil society organizations reaffirm our commitment to continue to stand in solidarity with and seek justice for the Rohingya, to ensure the full restoration of their rights in Myanmar, and to end the impunity of the Myanmar military. The plight [ Read more ]

12 August 2022 Afghanistan: One year after Taliban takeover, human rights defenders at greater risk than ever One year since the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan, conditions for human rights defenders, especially women, have further deteriorated, the undersigned members of Protect Defenders.eu – said today. A year ago, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, [ Read more ]

(Geneva) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet should publicly call for an immediate end to serious abuses including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances during her upcoming visit to Bangladesh, nine human rights organizations said today. Bachelet will visit Bangladesh from August 14-18, 2022. During the trip, she will meet with government officials and civil [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organizations, condemn the Sri Lankan authorities’ violent crackdown and increasing reprisals against peaceful protesters in Sri Lanka. This includes arrests, intimidation and the brutal attack on the protest camp in Colombo on 22 July 2022. The Sri Lankan authorities must ensure that security forces do not use excessive force and will respect [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the execution carried out by the military junta against four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar. We call on the international community, including ASEAN states, to publicly denounce these grave violations committed by the junta and to hold them accountable for their crimes. The four include prominent democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu better known [ Read more ]

The joint European Union (EU)-India press release, which provides a summary of the topics  discussed during the 10th EU-India human rights dialogue which took place on 15 July 2022 in New Delhi, fails to adequately address pressing issues of security and reprisals faced by human rights defenders in India, five human rights organizations said today. [ Read more ]