49th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 6: Adoption of the Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Thailand   Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation 23 March 2022      We note that Thailand has accepted [ Read more ]

Following the conviction of Narin — a protester who placed a sticker over the Thai King’s portrait — under Article 112 (lese majeste) on Friday, 4 March 2022, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) said:   The conviction of Narin under [ Read more ]

27 December 2021 Cabinet Ministers of the Royal Thai Government Government House 1 Phitsanulok Road Dusit Bangkok Thailand Cc: Council of State All members of the National Assembly of Thailand National Human Rights Commission of Thailand Re: The Draft Act on the Operations of Not-for-Profit Organizations B.E… Dear Ministers We, the undersigned Thai and international [ Read more ]

The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) launched the ANNI Report 2020 on the Performance of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), that critically assesses the performance of NHRIs against the Paris Principles in 2020. The Paris Principles are the minimum international standards for ensuring independent, effective, and credible NHRIs for the promotion [ Read more ]

On the revocation of bail for youth pro-democracy activist ‘Rung’ Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul by the Thailand Criminal Court on 22 November, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said: The courts have an obligation to ensure the right to a fair trial for Rung and other human rights defenders, regardless of their political views. [ Read more ]

Joint open letter to the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Minister of Labour in Thailand, the Minister of Interior in Thailand, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT), the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the President of the National [ Read more ]

Date: Friday, 15 October 2021 Time: 1.00 – 2.15 PM (GMT+7) Register here: l.forum-asia.org/ACSCAPF21 Live via: Zoom   This year’s ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN Peoples’ Forum eclipses a challenging era for the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) as it deals with the spillover effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worsening crisis in Myanmar. Eight [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is proud to present its new publication, “Summary Report: 9th Asian Human Rights Defenders Forum”, an abridgement from an event that facilitates human rights defenders (HRDs) and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) to discuss work and advocacy efforts, and share the experiences and challenges they face. From 2019 to date, the situation of defenders [ Read more ]

Executive Summary On August 9 and 10, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) conducted the Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19: Addressing the Crisis in Southeast Asia, which was graced by over 75 participants from the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of [ Read more ]

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc throughout Southeast Asia. The health crisis has also catalysed the rise of authoritarianism, the over-securitisation of societies, and systemic efforts to suppress democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in the region. Hence, it is critical to activate, strengthen and protect spaces and mechanisms for civil society to defend human rights [ Read more ]