(15 December 2021) On the ninth anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, we, the undersigned organizations, reiterate our calls on the Lao government to determine his fate and whereabouts, and deliver justice to him and his family. We condemn the Lao government’s ongoing failure to solve Sombath’s disappearance, and [ Read more ]

(December 14, 2021) – Bangladesh authorities must end the harassment of Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, respectively Secretary and Director of the human rights group Odhikar, who have been targeted through the misuse of the criminal justice system, eleven rights groups said today. On December 15, 2021, the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka will [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 23 November 2021) ‒ The arrest of prominent human rights defender Khurram Parvez by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sedition charges highlights an alarming trend of harassment against defenders, particularly those in Kashmir, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA). In the [ Read more ]

22 November 2021 To: Kim Jong Yang, INTERPOL President; Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL General Secretary; the INTERPOL Executive Committee and INTERPOL Member Countries Subject: Call on INTERPOL to ban the illegal junta from representing Myanmar at its General Assembly Dear INTERPOL President Kim Jong Yang INTERPOL Vice Presidents Benyamina Abbad and Šárka Havránková INTERPOL General Secretary [ Read more ]

Four separate bills on anti-discrimination have been filed since June 2020 at the National Assembly of South Korea. However, these bills remain pending for discussion at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. We, the undersigned human rights organizations, call on the National Assembly to immediately move forward with discussions on these bills and pass a comprehensive, [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to increase its effort to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Myanmar, which was triggered by the attempted coup in February 2021. Under the incoming chairmanship of Cambodia in 2022, ASEAN needs to align its endeavours with the international efforts of [ Read more ]

Ahead of her upcoming trial on 4 November, the undersigned 28 human rights and freedom of expression organizations today condemn the ongoing arbitrary detention of independent journalist and woman human rights defender Pham Doan Trang. We call on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and drop all charges against her. The persecution of [ Read more ]

(15 October 2021) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) express deep sorrow on the passing of Jose Louis Martin C. Gascon, or ‘Chito’, the Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) on 9 October 2021.‘ “Chito Gascon [ Read more ]

October 13, 2021 – Today, ten undersigned organizations called on the Government of Singapore to withdraw the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill (‘FICA’). FICA’s provisions contravene international legal and human rights principles – including the rights to freedom of expression, association, participation in public affairs, and privacy – and will further curtail civic space, both online [ Read more ]

48th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 10: General Debate on technical assistance and capacity building Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) 7 October 2021        Madam President, We welcome the High Commissioner’s update [ Read more ]