[UPDATE] Several colleagues in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who have been struggling since early morning to have Adilur Rahman Khan be released, have been told that he will be deported back to Dhaka this evening. — Today, at around 4:00 am local time, Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Odhikar and Vice Chair of FORUM-ASIA was detained [ Read more ]

Phnom Penh, 30 June 2017 – The Freethe5KH campaign welcomes the long-overdue release of human rights defenders Ny Sokha, Yi Soksan, Nay Vanda, Lim Mony and Ny Chakrya, after 427 days of arbitrary pre-trial detention, and urges the authorities to drop all charges against them. We are delighted to see our colleagues and friends restored [ Read more ]

Phnom Penh, 28 June 2017 – We, the undersigned, condemn the discriminatory and arbitrary denial of medical care to three of the five ‘#Freethe5KH’ detainees at Phnom Penh’s CC1 (Prey Sar) prison facility. Mr. Ny Sokha, Mr. Nay Vanda, and Mr. Yi Soksan have finally been granted access to doctors from the Cambodian League for [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 26 June 2017) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned about recent police hostility against human rights defenders in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. Human rights defenders from the respected human rights group Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) have been facing harassment and intimidation and are now at risk of [ Read more ]

Joint statement on behalf of Amnesty International, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) CIVICUS, Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) International Longevity Center Global Alliance, International Platform Against Impunity, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) Mr President, At the close of this [ Read more ]

(Geneva, 22 June 2017) – Today marks six months of detention for Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, a prominent student activist who has been charged with lèse majesté offences under article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code and violation of the Computer Crime Act since 22 December 2016. Pai was arrested on 3 December 2016 after sharing [ Read more ]

35th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 8: Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action Oral Statement Delivered by Rosanna Ocampo on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Monday, 19 June 2017 Mr President, FORUM-ASIA calls attention to the significance given to democracy as [ Read more ]

35th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate on the human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Oral Statement Delivered by R. Iniyan Ilango on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Friday, 16 June 2017 Mr President, FORUM-ASIA draws the Council’s attention to declining human [ Read more ]

35th 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 Yin Yadanar Thein on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Thursday, 15 June 2017 Mr. President, FORUM-ASIA welcomes the update by the [ Read more ]

35th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 3: General Debate on promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Oral Statement Delivered by Hussain Rasheed on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Wednesday, 14 June 2017 Mr [ Read more ]