Impunity is the absence of accountability and the rule of law. Impunity is defined in an international human rights instruments as the ‘impossibility, de jure or de facto, of bringing perpetrators of violations to account’, in criminal, civil, administrative or disciplinary proceedings, because such perpetrators are not made subject to inquiries that will allow them [ Read more ]

  The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time considered to be the biggest public health crisis in recent history and has presented a tremendous challenge to our societies. Globally, the pandemic has caused immense health and socio-economic problems. More than 59 million people have tested positive for the virus with [ Read more ]

The novel coronavirus that first emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 continues to impact the lives of people and is affecting all segments of the population across the world equally. Like in other countries, due to widespread of Covid-19 in Pakistan, owing to several restrictions imposed economically and socially, there is an exponential increase [ Read more ]

Date: 23 September 2020 To, H.E. Mr. Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan H.E. Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh H.E. Dr. Tandi Dorji, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bhutan H.E Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, Minster of Foreign Affairs, Maldives H.E. Mr. Pradeep [ Read more ]

Pakistan: Investigate Killings of Human Rights Defender Arif Wazir and Journalist Sajid Hussain (Bangkok/Kathmandu, 13 May 2020) – Justice and security continue to fall short for Pakistani human rights defenders, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) says today. Following the targeted killing of political activist Arif Wazir on 3 May, ten days [ Read more ]

43rd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on Reports and Updates of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Oral Statement Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Friday, 28 February 2020 Madam President, we share the High Commissioner’s concerns about [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 28 January 2020) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the arbitrary arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, a Pakistani human rights defender and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), together with other members of PTM. His arrest seems to have been based on his protests and activism, [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 2 December 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) is deeply concerned over the crackdown on the peaceful Student Solidarity March, which was organised by students in 50 cities across Pakistan on 29 November 2019. The march was: in protest against fee increases; demanded an end to surveillance over students, [ Read more ]

Press release Idris Khattak likely forcibly disappeared Islamabad, 20 November. It has now been a week since human rights defender and political activist Idris Khattak was abducted, allegedly by unidentified persons in Swabi. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strong reason to believe that this abduction is a possible enforced disappearance, given that [ Read more ]

Pakistan: Protect freedom of expression through art (Kathmandu/Bangkok, 31 October 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) is deeply concerned over the forceful shut down of an art installation depicting alleged extrajudicial killings by Karachi Police on 27 October. The shutdown of the exhibition is an attack on free expression. Curated [ Read more ]