53rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: Enhanced Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and the working group on discrimination against women and girls. Oral statement delivered by Parwana Ibrahim Khail On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 19 [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organisations, condemn Thailand’s  initiative, outside the ASEAN framework, to host an ‘informal meeting’ of neighbouring countries affected by the Myanmar crisis. We are also concerned about Thailand’s support of ASEAN’s efforts to resolve the situation in Myanmar, given that ASEAN has barred Myanmar’s junta leader and foreign minister from attending its summits [ Read more ]

On the 26th May 2023, FORUM-ASIA together with other 29 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with consultative relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) met with representatives of AICHR in the AICHR-CSO Interface Meeting in the 57th AICHR Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. CSOs conveyed various recommendations regarding how to strengthen AICHR as a regional [ Read more ]

Melbourne/ Hong Kong/ Manila/ Kuala Lumpur/ Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Paris/ London/ Washington, D.C.; 25 May 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are seriously concerned over the unabated enforced disappearances in Bangladesh amid the denial of access to justice for the victims. We also express our deep concern regarding the plight of the victims’ families, lack of [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 26 May 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls for quashing the convictions of NagaWorld union leader Chhim Sithar alongside eight members of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU). FORUM-ASIA strongly condemns the verdict given on 25 May 2023 by a Phnom Penh municipal [ Read more ]

Bangladeshi authorities must end reprisals against Odhikar and its leadership and respect the fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression. Those working to document and expose human rights violations should be able to conduct their important work without fear of harassment, intimidation, and reprisals. The case of human rights organization Odhikar is reflective of [ Read more ]

Authorities must stop clamping down on the political opposition through mass arrests, arbitrary detention and charging people under vague anti-terrorism laws and release immediately all those held solely for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly said Amnesty International, Equidem, CIVICUS and Forum Asia today. Media reports have quoted Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir, [ Read more ]

 (Bangkok/Kathmandu – 19 May 2023) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses serious concerns regarding the eruption of violence in the State of Manipur in India, reports of excessive use of force by paramilitary troops, imposition of a curfew and an arbitrary internet shutdown. Simmering ethnic tensions between groups in Manipur – [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 17 May 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation strongly condemn Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC)’s decision to bar the Candlelight Party (CP) – the country’s main opposition party–from contesting in the upcoming general election in July 2023. This move further erodes Cambodian [ Read more ]

Responding to the outcome statement made by the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) following the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Progressive Voice, ALTSEAN-Burma and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) express deep concern and disappointment on the lack of strong measures from the regional-bloc to stop the Myanmar military junta’s atrocity crimes. The statement highlighted two areas [ Read more ]