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Joint Open Letter: Urgent concern about the 2013 Syariah Penal Code of Brunei Darussalam
April 10, 2019
Dr. Amara Pongsapich
Chairperson
Thailand Representative and Chair to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights
Re: Urgent concern about the 2013 Syariah Penal Code of Brunei Darussalam
Dear Dr. Pongsapich:
The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus (ASC), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and...
Malaysia: Stop Persecution of Women Human Rights Defenders and LGBTIQ Community
(12 March 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Pusat KOMAS, and the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus express grave concern over the public reaction from conservative groups and government officials to the Women’s March on 9 March 2019. Particularly the backlash received...
Indonesia: Release Robertus Robet!
(Bangkok, 7 March 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly denounces the arrest of Robertus Robet, academic and human rights defender, last night on 6 March around 23:30. Robet is being accused of criminal defamation under Article 45 (2) and 28 (2) of the...
In Solidarity with Jolovan Wham
(Bangkok, 27 February 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) stands in solidarity with human rights defender Jolovan Wham, as he faces a sentence of sixteen days of imprisonment for violating the Public Order Act. His sentencing highlights Singapore’s tightening grip on civil society and...
Philippines: Drop cyber-libel charges against Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr.
Statement on Maria Ressa and Rappler Feb 2019 (6 February 2019, Bangkok) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the indictment of the founder of online news site Rappler, Maria Ressa and one of its former reporters, Reynaldo Santos Jr. The two were indicted for...
Now is the time for ASEAN to show its commitment to human rights
(Bangkok/Jakarta, 18 January 2019) – While the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat is taking place on 17 – 18 January 2019 in Chiang Mai, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to urgently address human rights violations in...
Joint Statement: President of the Philippines should be held accountable for attacks against human rights defenders
(11 January 2019, Bangkok) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and its member organisations in the Philippines strongly condemn Philippine President Duterte’s recent tirades against human rights groups. In a speech delivered on 9 January 2019, he accused human rights groups of being ‘enemies of...
‘Civil and political rights, such as freedom of expression and association, cannot be fully realised unless you have economic, social and cultural rights safeguarded.’ – Interview with Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhakal, Newly Elected Executive Committee Member of F
For this month’s e-newsletter, FORUM-ASIA talked to Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhakal, one of the newly elected Executive Committee Members of FORUM-ASIA and the Chairperson of Community Self Reliance Centre (CSRC), a member of FORUM-ASIA in Nepal. As a human rights defender, Suresh shared with us his experiences with the...
Singapore: End Judicial Harassment of Jolovan Wham, Respect the Right to Freedom of Expression
(7 January 2019, Bangkok) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the conviction of Singaporean human rights defender Jolovan Wham for violating the 2009 Public Order Act. The case against him highlights the Singaporean Government’s tightening grip on civil society. FORUM-ASIA calls on the Singaporean...
Appointment of Singapore’s Representatives to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)
The Government of Singapore has appointed Dr Shashi Jayakumar as Singapore’s Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Dr Jayakumar’s term of service will begin on 1 January 2019. Associate Professor Eugene Tan has been appointed as Singapore’s alternate Representative to the AICHR. In the absence...
