(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 19 July 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is gravely concerned about the brutal attack on social activist, Swami Agnivesh by a mob on 17 July 2018 outside a hotel in Pakur, Jharkhand State, India. The 78-year-old Swami Agnivesh is a globally renowned civil society activist and human rights [ Read more ]

Honourable Justice (Retd.) H.L Dattu Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, Manav Adhikar Bhawan, Block-C, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi – 110 023 Email: [email protected]   29 June 2018, Bangkok   RE: Raids and Arbitrary Arrests of activists and advocates in Mumbai, Nagpur and New Delhi by personnel of Maharashtra Police   Respected Honourable Chairperson, The [ Read more ]

26 June 2018 Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) observed International Day for Victims of Torture at Kolkata Press Club. To commemorate the day MASUM organized a civil society and media interface from 2.00 PM to 4.00 PM where renowned human rights protagonists; Dr. Binayak Sen and Ms. Miratun Nahar were speakers. The interface started with [ Read more ]

People’s Watch condemns the midnight arrest of Mr. S. Vanchinathan, Advocate, Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and State organizer of the Human Rights Protection Council as well as one of the Members of the Save MKU Movement at the Chennai airport as he was returning from Delhi after ensuring that the stay petition [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 20 June 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply anguished over the murder of Shujaat Bukhari, editor of the newspaper ‘Rising Kashmir‘, on 14 June outside his office in Central Srinagar. He, along with two of his bodyguards, was shot dead by unknown gunmen. Bukhari was a prominent [ Read more ]

38thRegular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on the Oral Update of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Oral Statement Delivered by Joëlle Kleinon on behalf of World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Tuesday, 19 [ Read more ]

  #DalitWomenFight against Caste- – Based Violence UN HRC 38 SIDE-EVENT 21 st June 2018, 12-13.30 Room XXVII, Palais de Nations, Geneva   This side event will explore and discuss aggravated caste-based violence faced by women and girls in India, often with little recourse to justice. Dalit women activists will present witness accounts of the [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 8 June 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the arrest of five Dalit activists, Adv. Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Prof. Shoma Sena, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut, under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). FORUM-ASIA believes the charges were fabricated to undermine their legitimate human rights work, [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA member from India, Banglar Manabadhikar Surakksha Mancha (MASUM) published its monthly human rights report for May 2018. MASUM made 11 complaints before the relevant authorities and human rights institutions; especially National Human Rights Commission during the month of May 2018. During the period, seven replies and one update have been made to National Human [ Read more ]

1 June 2018 Honorable President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi‐110 0004 Re: Open Letter to the Government of India concerning the possible appointment of Mr. Sharad Kumar as Member of National Human Rights Commission Dear Honourable President Ram Nath Kovind, As the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institution (ANNI), [ Read more ]