Human rights groups CIVICUS and FORUM-ASIA call on UN member states to urge the government of Singapore to protect civic freedoms as its human rights record is examined by the UN Human Rights Council on 12 May 2021 as part of the 38th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). At the country’s second UPR [ Read more ]

On the occasion of the International Day for Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on 24 April, a group of over 100 civil society organisations calls for a more inclusive and democratic UN. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is among those who have endorsed a joint statement “for more inclusive global governance”. [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 23 April 2021) – The Maldivian authorities must bring the killers of blogger and human rights defender Yameen Rasheed, found dead in his home four years ago today, to justice. ‘Yameen Rasheed was 29 years old when he was murdered four years ago today. Despite election pledges by the current government to bring his [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Jakarta, 8 April 2021) — Sustained critical engagement between civil society organisations and the ASEAN human rights body is essential for the promotion and protection of human rights in ASEAN and it needs to be part of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Term of Reference, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development [ Read more ]

(April 1, 2021) The Bangladeshi authorities must conduct prompt, thorough, impartial, and independent investigations into the death of at least 14 protesters across the country between 26 and 28 March, and respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, said 11 human rights organizations in a joint statement today. The organizations also called on the [ Read more ]

1 April 2021 Myanmar: Brutal crackdown and targeting of human rights defenders and civil society continue Front Line Defenders, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Progressive Voice, Civil Rights Defenders, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH) and Reporters Without Borders condemn the gross human rights violations committed by the [ Read more ]

46th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council NGO[1] End of Session statement Oral statement delivered by ISHR On behalf of 16 NGOs including the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)    Civil society participation Environmental justice Racial Justice Right to health Attempts to undermine HRC mandate Country-specific resolutions Country-specific State statements [ Read more ]

For Immediate Release International Community Should Stand with Victims of Abuses (New York, March 26, 2021) – Governments joining the celebrations to mark the 50th Founding Anniversary of Bangladesh and to honor the birth centenary of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 26, 2021, should know that Bangladeshis are enduring an escalating crackdown on human rights by the Awami League-led [ Read more ]

To the international community, and in particular, IFIs and States, We urge you, in the strongest terms, to immediately freeze and comprehensively reassess your lending relationship with Myanmar, in light of the 1 February 2021 coup d’état by the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw). The coup was illegal, even under the Tatmadaw-designed 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, and [ Read more ]

46th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 10: General Debate on technical cooperation and capacity building Oral statement delivered by Cecile Gaa On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Human [ Read more ]