46th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 4: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Oral Statement Delivered by Khin Ohmar On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Thursday, 11 March 2021      Madam President, we welcome the Special [ Read more ]

(March 11, 2021) – On 11 February 2021, the CSO Working Group on MNHRC Reform (Working Group)[1] called on the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) to denounce the military coup and stand with the people of Myanmar. It has failed to do so. We therefore believe that the MNHRC is an ally of the [ Read more ]

(March 5, 2021) – The Bangladeshi authorities must end their escalating crackdown on human rights, and respect and protect people’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Bangladesh to curb protesters demanding justice for writer Mushtaq Ahmed’s death in prison on 25 February, the nine undersigned human rights organizations said in a joint [ Read more ]

UPDATE (March 5, 2021): The Singapore police have summoned PJ Thum, New Naratif’s Founder and Managing Director, for another round of questioning on March 5, 2021.  According to Thum, the police have declined to return his laptop and phone, which were seized on September 18, 2020, until the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. Amnesty International, [ Read more ]

Joint Statement – ASEAN: Regional process should be aligned with Myanmar peoples’ aspiration (Bangkok, 1 March 2021) ‒ ‘The ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AFMM) tomorrow should be utilised by ASEAN as an opportunity to take genuine and meaningful actions to call out the horrific acts of the Myanmar military and to explore a possibility to [ Read more ]

URGENT STATEMENT Joint Statement: Malaysia Defies Court Order, Putting Lives in Imminent Danger BANGKOK, 26 February 2021 The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and the International Detention Coalition (IDC) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to grant UNHCR immediate and [ Read more ]

25 February 2021 We, the undersigned organizations, call on the United Nations Security Council and UN member states to urgently institute a coordinated, global arms embargo on Myanmar in response to the February 1, 2021 military coup that has deprived the people of Myanmar of the right to democratically elect their government. Our concerns are [ Read more ]

46th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on the promotion of reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka Oral Statement Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Wednesday, 24 February 2021     Madam [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 23 February 2021) – The targeted killings of prominent Afghans must end immediately to enable a secure environment for all Afghan people, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA). A United Nations convoy was attacked on February 11, killing five Afghan security forces members near Kabul.[1] On February 10, at least [ Read more ]

BANGKOK, 19 February 2021 The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to immediately halt the involuntary repatriation of Myanmar detainees, allow UNHCR access to all detainees scheduled for deportation, and to place the safety and security of vulnerable populations [ Read more ]