(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 5 August 2023) – The Asian Forum for Development and Human Rights (FORUM-ASIA) expresses its deep concern over the Indian State’s intensified repression against human rights defenders and journalists as well as its continued human rights violations in Indian-Administered Kashmir. 5 August 2023 marks the fourth year since the abrogation of Article 370, a [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 4 August 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls on the ASEAN to exclude the Myanmar junta from military exercises. We urge the Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM+) Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism to exclude Myanmar military junta members from all its meetings and activities. If the ADMM+ does [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 4 August 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls for urgent and concerted international action to protect Afghanistan’s Shia and Hazara community. The Shia community of Afghanistan—whose members are predominantly Hazaras—are facing systematic discrimination, targeted attacks, marginalisation, persecution, and harsh restrictions by  the Taliban. The Taliban has imposed bans [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu, 4 August 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses deep concern over the systematic repression against protesting opposition political parties in Bangladesh. We call upon the authorities to immediately cease such violence and uphold the people’s right to peaceful assembly and the principles of democracy, ensuring that the country’s [ Read more ]

Amnesty International, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and Front Line Defenders, stand in solidarity with community leaders and human rights defenders from the Malaiyaha Tamil community that are participating in a symbolic walk from Thalaimannar to Matale, Sri Lanka from 28 July to 12 August 2023. [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 3 August 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)—on behalf of the participants of the 2023 ASEAN Human Rights Advocacy Academy and the endorsing organisations—condemns the systematic attacks against the LGBTIQ+ community in Indonesia. We are in solidarity with the LGBTIQ+ community and all marginalised groups who are fighting  for [ Read more ]

PAKISTAN: 30th July 2023, Marks the 18th Year of Enforced Disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz We, the undersigned organisations, stand together in solidarity on the commemoration of the 18th year of the Enforced Disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz. We join their families and loved ones in their ongoing struggle for truth, [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation condemn the pattern of intimidation and retaliation against media workers, civil society, and political opponents in the run-up to, during, and after elections in Cambodia. On 23 July 2023, Cambodia’s citizens were called to cast their ballot for the [ Read more ]

22, July 2023. The undersigned organizations express our profound concern over the upcoming election for the National Assembly in Cambodia, scheduled to occur tomorrow. We firmly believe that this election is poised to lack genuineness and meaningful electoral competitiveness, raising serious doubts about its adherence to democratic principles and international election standards. Our apprehensions are [ Read more ]

On 20 July 2023, the Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) participated in the second Technical Working Group meeting of the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Institution Forum (SEANF) in Bangkok, Thailand.  ANNI participated in an interface dialogue with the SEANF, which included a presentation on the work of the ANNI network, [ Read more ]