(Bangkok/Kathmandu/Islamabad, 15 May 2017) – Bytes for All, Pakistan (B4A), the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), and other undersigned organisations express deep concern and condemn an incident during a parliamentary committee meeting, which undermines the independence of the National Commission for Human [ Read more ]

May 9, 2017 – We, the undersigned Cambodian and international civil society organizations, condemn the removal by district and commune police authorities of banners calling for the release of six human rights defenders. Banners were removed from the offices of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), the Cambodian League for the Promotion and [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 8 May 2017) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses deep concern over the recent ban on social media and instant messaging services, like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, along with nineteen other services by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.[1] This ban is said to continue for a period of [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 5 May 2017) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the arrest of human rights defenders Soneswar Narah and Pranab Doley of Jeepal Krishak Shramik Sangha (JKSS), a loose organisation of local farmers and community members. FORUM-ASIA deplores the brutal attack carried out by the police force of Assam on [ Read more ]

Bangkok/Kathmandu/Hong Kong/Dhaka: The World Press Freedom Day, on 3 May, is celebrated as an occasion to revisit the essence of fundamental principles of the freedom of press. The state of press freedom is analysed throughout the world. The day is marked by highlighting sacrifices of journalists – in various forms – for their professional dedication, [ Read more ]

Dear Your Excellency, We, the undersigned, call on States, including the United States, United Kingdom and the member states of the European Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to strongly encourage the Myanmar government to fully cooperate with the forthcoming Fact-Finding Mission into the human rights situation in Rakhine [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Islamabad, 18 April 2017) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Bytes for All, Pakistan (B4A) and Association for Progressive Communications (APC) strongly condemn the gruesome killing of 23-year-old Mashal Khan by a vigilante mob at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan for purported blasphemy[1]. The horrific incident is yet another case [ Read more ]

(Scroll down for a Thai version of the statement) The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) is greatly concerned with alarming developments within the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT). A clear sign of internal conflict within the NHRCT emerged after one of the Commissioners, Surachet Satitniramai, resigned due to dissatisfaction [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA together with the Regional Initiative for a South Asian Human Rights Mechanism (RISAHRM) arranged a dialogue on ‘“Regional Human Rights Mechanism in South Asia” in Kathmandu, Nepal on 6 and 7 April 2017. A declaration was adopted at the end of the event, with coherent recommendations for human rights defenders, SAARC governments and National [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Geneva, 28 March 2017) – The human rights situation in the Philippines drew significant amount of attention at the 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council which concluded on Friday. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as several states expressed concerns on extra judicial killings, moves to reinstate the death [ Read more ]