Abolish ISA Movement or Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) was informed that four Indonesians who were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for alleged links to international militant Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and Darul Islam (DI) were released on 4 August 2008 and deported to Indonesia on 15th August. They are: i) Shahrial Sirin (Alleged JI): [ Read more ]

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) is organising its 9th National Congress on 18 September 2008 in Quezon City, Philippines, with the theme "Advancing human rights movements, defending human rights defenders". According to PAHRA chairperson Max M. de Mesa, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the UN Declaration on Human Rights [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is gravely concerned over the violence allegedly perpetrated by activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa on the pretext of the murder of a Hindu leader since 24 August. According to media reports, at least 20 persons have been killed so far along with reports of sexual [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA member in Bangladesh, Odhikar, has issued a human rights situation report for the month of August. Odhikar's report states that the government's decision to establish an agency to monitor telephone conversations has emerged as a serious infringement of individuals' human rights and the fundamental right to privacy. Extrajudicial killing and impunity attached to it [ Read more ]

Representatives of civil society organisations and trade unions gathered in Shah Alam, Selangor, on 13-14 August 2008, for a National Consultation on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers under the auspices of the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers mechanism. The group issued an 88-point national statement on migrant workers, as [ Read more ]

A group of 50 student and youth activists gathered in Bangkok to spread the message of peace and non-violence admist Prime Minister Samak Sudavej's state of emergency declaration on 2 September 2008. The vigil was held in front of the Mah Boon Kong shopping centre. The activists carried candles, posters with 'peace and non-violent' messages, [ Read more ]

There is an old adage that says "those who are brave enough to speak out in the face of death inspire the courage of others." This is how Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) remembers its former Chairperson, Munir Said Thalid in the commemoration of his fourth death anniversary as it joins hands in solidarity [ Read more ]

The Regional Consultation on the ASEAN commission on the rights of women and children and the ASEAN human rights body, a joint initiative of Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights, FORUM-ASIA, Save the Children-Sweden UN Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Southeast Asia Regional Cooperation on Human Developement (SEARCH), will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from [ Read more ]

The Solidarity for Asian People's Advocacy Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (Task Force) attended a consultation meeting with the High Level Panel in Manila, The Philippines on 11 September 2008, to discuss the establishment of the ASEAN human rights body (AHRB). The consultation is part of the Third Meeting of the High-Level Panel [ Read more ]

Members of the Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) participated in the NGO Meeting on Engagement with NHRIs from 27-29 July 2008 in Kuala Lumpur. The meeting this year gave more space for discussions on women human rights defenders. The meeting was co-organised by the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), the [ Read more ]