FORUM-ASIA calls on the Thai government to be more pro-active in investigating the case of missing human rights lawyer Mr Somchai Neelaphaijit. We urge the Thai government to bring the perpetrators to justice, and also call for the draft of the new constitution to include accountability by perpetrators of forced disappearances and the immediate lifting [ Read more ]

The women's movement in Asia has long joined in the celebration of the International Women' s Day. Women in the region have come out on March 8 to raise their voice against all the atrocities faced in the region.Themed "Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women", let us all join in the spirit of celebration today [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA and five other organisations have issued a joint statement urging the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) to adopt internal rules that satisfy international standards to hold fair and legitimate trials of Khmer Rouge human rights violators. It will also serve the ECCC in order to act as a catalyst – to [ Read more ]

The recently concluded visit of Mr. Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution to the Philippines, which inquired into the phenomenon of extrajudicial executions “gathered a huge amount of data…much more than has been made available to any one of the major national inquiries.” FORUM-ASIA and the Philippine Alliance of Human [ Read more ]

After a long delay and priority shift in Indonesia and Timor Leste, both governments have agreed to find a niche in addressing the long-awaited process of finding truth and building friendship through its commission – Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF). Indonesia, the vital player in the international circuit has failed to meet demands for [ Read more ]

The Philippine Congress has enacted yesterday the controversial "Act to Secure the State and Protect our People from Terrorism" otherwise referred to as the "Human Security Act of 2007". FORUM-ASIA is alarmed that the passage of the Act amounts to a deliberate reversal of the Philippines' commitment to international human rights. Furthermore, by calling the [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA deeply regrets and condemns the attempted deportation of 154 Lao Hmong refugees detained at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Nong Khai by Lao and Thai authorities this morning. FORUM-ASIA has received information that prior to the attempted deportation, the governments of Lao and Thailand officially signed a bilateral agreement to deport the group [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA condemns the governments of Laos and Thailand for committing the forcible deportation of 16 Lao Hmong asylum seekers on 26 January 2006, despite the legitimacy of the asylum seekers and some international pressure to halt the deportation since last year. The deportation was conducted by Thai immigration and military personnel last Friday. (FORUM-ASIA condemns [ Read more ]

North Koreans who sought refuge in China were forcibly returned to North Korea by Chinese police in October 2006. FORUM-ASIA is concerned and we urge the South Korean government to ensure that the forcible return (refoulement) of North Korean asylum seekers does not result from lack of action and will. This is a serious ongoing [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA urges the Bangladesh government to respect all human rights during the current state of emergency in the country. There are significant concerns over the suspension of fundamental rights of citizens during this time. Rights such as freedom of speech including freedom of the press, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom [ Read more ]