We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to increase its effort to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Myanmar, which was triggered by the attempted coup in February 2021. Under the incoming chairmanship of Cambodia in 2022, ASEAN needs to align its endeavours with the international efforts of [ Read more ]

Ahead of her upcoming trial on 4 November, the undersigned 28 human rights and freedom of expression organizations today condemn the ongoing arbitrary detention of independent journalist and woman human rights defender Pham Doan Trang. We call on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and drop all charges against her. The persecution of [ Read more ]

The international community has repeatedly called on ASEAN to address the situation in Burma, but ASEAN action has been inadequate and the situation has worsened. Armed clashes and attacks on civilians rose by around 27% after the 24 Apr ASEAN meeting. The junta increased attacks on NLD & NUG members, and charged associates with treason. [ Read more ]

October 13, 2021 – Today, ten undersigned organizations called on the Government of Singapore to withdraw the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill (‘FICA’). FICA’s provisions contravene international legal and human rights principles – including the rights to freedom of expression, association, participation in public affairs, and privacy – and will further curtail civic space, both online [ 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 ]

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 ]

Celebrating the end of 2020 and the end of our #FA4HumanRights campaigns for the    Human Rights Month, FORUM-ASIA is glad to have released the ‘2020 Wrap-up video’ where our Programmes reveal more information about the work conducted over the past year and share some of our success stories in the promotion and protection of [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA along with ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia organised a two-day meeting to discuss the 10 years evolution of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and how the institution needs to fully function for the promotion and protection of human rights in the [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Jakarta, 12 February 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) expresses grave concern over the on-going revision of the Indonesian Criminal Code. The amendments to the Criminal Code are a setback for the country as they are inherently discriminatory and potentially harmful to the fundamental freedoms of the people, especially the [ Read more ]