Dhaka-based human rights organisation and FORUM-ASIA member Odhikar has questioned the effectiveness of the National Human Rights Commission in its monitoring report related to the country's state of emergency. The report revealed the paradox of a much needed human rights commission (NHRC) established by a military-backed and unelected government which has suspended the basic rights [ Read more ]

Two regional human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs)- FORUM-ASIA and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) located in Hong Kong-conducted a fact-finding mission from 21-24 July 2008, in Seoul, South Korea, to examine human rights violations during the daily candlelight vigils that have been held since May 2. The specific focus of the mission was curbs [ Read more ]

Altsean-Burma has released a briefer titled "Saffron Revolution a year later: It's not over." On 26 September, one year will have passed since Burma's military regime began its bloody crackdown on the Saffron Revolution. The spirit of the monk-led Saffron Revolution that moved hundreds of thousands of people to hold protests throughout Burma and inspired [ Read more ]

Representatives of over 60 NGOs, trade unions, private sector companies, and civil society organisations, gathered on 11-12 September 2008 in Phnom Penh to discuss the current situation faced by migrant workers leaving the country to work overseas and migrant workers entering the country. This is a historic consultation whereby several recommendations to address the problems [ Read more ]

Around 35 human rights defenders from FORUM-ASIA's member and partner organisations from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka gathered in Trivandrum, India, for the 3rd Annual South Asian Human Rights Forum (SAHRF) from 18-20 September. The forum serves as an opportunity for the FORUM-ASIA secretariat to touch base with its members and for members [ Read more ]

  The Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva ended its 9th regular session on Tuesday, 23 September 2008. non-governmental organisations, including FORUM-ASIA, have issued statements to the council. Some of them are here below.     A general debate on freedom of opinion and expression of human rights defenders in Asia Joint oral statement with [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), expressed its deep concern over the attempts in the Philippines Congress to reinstate the death penalty in the country through House Bill 4882 (HB04882) filed by Congressman Bienvenido M. Abante (6th District, Manila). In a letter today to the Committee on the Revision of Laws of [ Read more ]

Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), in a letter today to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), urged the SUHAKAM to prove that it is worthy of an “A” status under the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) and that it is truly a national human rights institution earnest in the pursuit of [ Read more ]

The Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) reported on the hearing of Muchdi Purwoprandjono, the former Deputy V of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), on the murder case of prominent Indonesian human rights activist Munir Said Thalib. Muchdi is indicted in the South Jakarta District Court acording to Article 340 of the Indonesia's [ Read more ]

Odhikar, a Bangladeshi human rights organisation, and FORUM-ASIA member, has submitted the Universal Periodic Review on Bangladesh jointly with International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) on 1 September. The report covers the period between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2008. The five-paged report includes 13 points of concerns on the current human rights situation [ Read more ]