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The Philippines: Dangerous for journalists
A protester in black displays a placard calling for press freedom during a protest with journalists in Manila on 19 January, 2018. (Ted Aljibe / AFP Photo)
Being a journalist has never been easy. Many of them work long hours, travel to faraway places and go through plenty of mud...
ICERD non-ratification tarnishes Malaysia’s image
A mother carries her daughter during a rally organised by Muslim politicians against the signing of the UN anti-discrimination convention (ICERD) at Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur on 8 December, 2018. (Mohd Rasfan / AFP Photo)
On 8 December 2018, downtown Kuala Lumpur was engulfed in a sea of white...
Southeast Asia 2018: Attacks Persisted But No Group Gained Traction
Firefighters battle a blaze caused by a suicide bombing at the Surabaya Center Pentecostal Church in Surabaya, Indonesia, May 13, 2018.
The security picture in Southeast Asia was far more stable this year than tumultuous 2017, when Islamic State (IS) militants took over the Philippine city of Marawi for five...
Transgender Indonesians fear for the future as election looms
The run-up to next spring’s general election in Indonesia has transgender citizens fearing for their safety as anti-LGBTI rhetoric sweeps parts of the country.
Presidential candidates Joko Widodo, the incumbent (left) and challenger Prabowo Subianto (right) (Photos courtesy of Wikipedia)
By Lloyd Copper
Hostility towards sexual minorities is growing in Indonesia, says...
As ASEAN chair, Thailand must support states to address regional rights issues
Photo: Gunawan Kartapranata/CC BY-SA 3.0
As the 2019 chair of ASEAN, Thailand hopes to push an agenda focused on economic cooperation and regional security. But to succeed at either of these, ASEAN must first find a way to address glaring rights abuses in its member states.
By Skylar Lindsay
Following last month’s...
Kalla reasserts Indonesia’s ‘non-interference’ stance on Uighur issue
Indonesia Vice President Jusuf Kalla during an interview in his office in Central Jakarta on July 27. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
Vice President Jusuf Kalla has reiterated that Indonesia would not interfere in China’s handling of Uighur Muslims amid pressure from the nation’s ulema council for the government to step in.
“Of course...
Malaysian men can no longer marry young girls in south Thailand as underaged unions are banned there
BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): Thailand's Islamic council has – for the first time in history – issued a ban on child marriage nationwide.
This followed public anger sparked by the marriage earlier this year of an 11-year-old child to a man four times her age.
The Central Islamic Council of...
Dangerous Liaisons
Ignoring possible Sino-Russian cooperation against the United States, and the factors that can exacerbate it, could be very costly.
WASHINGTON’S CONVENTIONAL wisdom views a Chinese-Russian alliance as a remote prospect. Defense Secretary James Mattis, who is generally both pragmatic and strategically-minded, sees “little in the long term that aligns Russia...
Rohingya refugees: Asean must not consider voluntary return option
A reception point for Rohingya refugees at Haria Khali Primary School in Sabrang Union of Teknaf Upazila, in Bangladesh. OCHA/Anthony Burke/UN News Centre
In the event of the 33rd Asean summit on 13-15 November 2018, we, the undersigned civil society organisations, express our concern about the initiative of the Association...
Singapore editor charged with defaming government
Singapore is regularly ranked among the world's least corrupt countries and its leaders are sensitive about accusations of graft.
Singapore (AFP) - The editor of a Singaporean website was charged with defamation Thursday for publishing a letter alleging corruption among the city-state's leaders, with rights groups criticising the "heavy-handed" response...
