(Bangkok, 25 January 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) strongly condemn the conviction of Mongkorn ‘BusBas’ Thirakot, a 30-year-old activist and online clothing retailer from Chiang Rai. BusBas has been sentenced to an unprecedented 50 years in prison–the longest [ Read more ]

CIVICUS, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and SUARAM call upon states to use the upcoming human rights review of Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to call out its ongoing failure to fully implement previous recommendations related to civic freedoms. On 25 January 2024, Malaysia’s human rights record [ Read more ]

(Jakarta/Bangkok, 8 January 2024) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) welcome the East Jakarta District Court’s decision to acquit human rights defenders Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar on 8th January 2024 of all charges. Fatia and Haris’ online discussions were [ Read more ]

(15 December 2023) On the 11-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, we, the undersigned civil society organizations and individuals, strongly condemn the Lao government’s continued failure to provide necessary information as to his fate and whereabouts and reiterate our calls to the authorities to deliver truth, justice and [ Read more ]

(December 12, 2023) The undersigned organizations express our deep concern about  Bangladesh’s current human rights situation and closure of civic space as the country heads toward national elections on 7 January 2024. Since late October 2023, following the rallies and demonstrations co-organized by the political opposition, the ruling party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 18 October 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and 26 member organisations express are gravely concerned over the alleged arms trade between three Indonesian state-owned weapons manufacturers and the Myanmar military junta. We call on the Government of Indonesia to thoroughly investigate the matter and to cease all activities [ Read more ]

[5 December 2023] The CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institution (Burma/Myanmar) (Working Group) and the Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) welcome the decision by the largest network of national human rights institutions (NHRIs), recommending the removal of the accreditation status of Myanmar military junta’s Myanmar National Human Rights [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to refrain from merely advocating for inclusive national dialogue in Myanmar that undermine efforts and the will of Myanmar people. ASEAN must take concrete actions to fulfil the demands made by the people of Myanmar to establish a federal democratic union and [ Read more ]

The undersigned organisations, human rights groups, and defenders are calling for the Indonesian Government to end its judicial harassment against prominent human rights defenders, Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar as well as to further protect all human rights defenders in the country.   Fatia and Haris’ Indictment Fatia is the former coordinator of the Commission [ Read more ]

November 21, 2023 – We, the undersigned organisations, call for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj, who are currently being detained in Rohini jail in India. Khurram has been in pre-trial detention for two years now, on politically motivated charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), an Indian counter-terror law [ Read more ]