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Category: Our Events

  • [Event] Deep Dive into the National Security Laws in Hong Kong

    Thursday, 2 May 2024

    08AM (BKK) | 10AM (TYO) | 11AM (MEL)

    Zoom Webinar (Registration Link)

    In March 2024, the government of Hong Kong, enacted a controversial national security law known as Article 23. This legislation significantly expands upon existing laws to cover offenses such as treason, sedition, state secrets, and trials held behind closed doors. The law, purportedly aimed at ensuring stability, has sparked widespread concerns regarding its potential erosion of civil liberties and further suppression of dissent.

    The origins of Article 23 trace back decades, with the initial attempt to pass such a law in 2003 resulting in massive protests and its eventual shelving. Fast forward to 2024, the government claims overwhelming public support for the law, citing a 99% approval rate during a recent consultation period. However, critics argue that the law provides authorities with excessive power to crackdown on dissidents and suppress freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” framework.

    The enactment of Article 23 in 2024 represents another step towards tightening control over Hong Kong’s civil society and stifling dissent. Despite assurances from Hong Kong authorities that the law is necessary for maintaining stability and national security, critics argue that it poses a grave threat to the city’s cherished freedoms and undermines the principles of the “one country, two systems” framework. The law’s broad and vaguely defined provisions, coupled with its potential for abuse and selective enforcement, have sparked fears of widespread censorship, arbitrary arrests, and political persecution.

    Against this backdrop, the need for informed discourse, advocacy, and international solidarity in support of Hong Kong’s autonomy and civil liberties has never been more urgent. This webinar seeks to provide a platform for dialogue and action, bringing together experts, activists, and concerned individuals to analyze the implications of Article 23 and explore avenues for protecting and promoting human rights in Hong Kong and beyond.

    Speakers:

    • Simon Henderson, International Human Rights Lawyer
    • Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Officer of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 
    • Shibani Mahtani, International Investigative Correspondent of Washington Post and Co-author of Among the Braves

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Resisting in Exile: Voice of Human Rights Defenders

    HRC55 side event | Resisting in Exile: Voice of Human Rights Defenders

    Tuesday, 5th March, 2pm | Palais des Nations, Room XXV

     

    “I do not like the idea of being a refugee. I do not want to leave the country because I wanted to make it better.” 

    Human rights defender quoted by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in A/HRC/37/51.

    In ‘People Power Under Attack’ (2022), CIVICUS reports that the number of countries where civic freedoms are being curtailed and civil society is under severe attack is increasing. Restrictions on fundamental freedoms, the gutting of protections for defenders and stigmatisation, criminalisation and physical attack are experienced by defenders in too many countries. In such contexts and under such pressure, defenders can see leaving the country as their only option. These defenders, along with defenders expelled by their home governments, face the huge challenges of short or protracted exile, including economic insecurity and ongoing threats. Defenders in exile question if and how they can continue human rights work from abroad and how those who remain deal with a fractured human rights community.

    In this event we will bring the voices of human rights defenders from around the world to the Council so that States, UN experts and officials and civil society colleagues can here their voices. What is the experience of being in exile like? What is the impact on individual work and that of the community of defenders? What demands do exile defenders make to the Council?

    This event aims to raise greater awareness about the phenomenon of defenders in exile and encourage discussion and action on how to support these defenders. It is also aimed at looking at what is needed to prevent exile becoming some defenders’ only feasible option.

    During this event, defenders in exile from will speak of the impact of their experience of exile on their own lives, those of their families, and their communities. They will highlight the specific needs defenders in exile have in terms of legal guarantees, and political and financial support and of their ongoing work to defend rights from exile.

    Defenders in exile will also send in testimonies, to be shown in video form or read out by fellow defenders. We aim to fill the room with the voices of those in exile who cannot be in Geneva to participate directly.

    We will  recall recommendations made by the previous Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Michel Forst, in his 2018 report to the Council (A/HRC/37/51), including in regard to the prohibition of non-refoulement to persecution, relocation schemes, and access to protection measures for defenders in exile.

    The conversation will take place during the Council session when the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders will be presenting her report to the Council. We hope that the Special Rapporteur will be available to, highlight the  need for greater attention to, and investment in the prevention of, the closure of civic space so as to forestall the need for defenders to leave the country.

     

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    Event organisers:

    Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR-Centre)

    International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, (Race and Equality)

    International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

    DefendDefenders

     

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] The Role of Defenders in Fostering Accountability for Atrocity Crimes

    HRC55 JOINT CIVIL SOCIETY SIDE EVENT
     THE ROLE OF DEFENDERS
     IN FOSTERING ACCOUNTABILITY
     FOR ATROCITY CRIMES
    Wednesday 6 March
    13:00 – 14:00 pm (CET)
    Room XXV, Palais des Nations – Geneva
    Language: English / Arabic
    At a time of increasing conflicts, the root causes of which include repression and human rights abuses, respect for human rights and accountability for violations is essential to address and resolve these crises.
    Amongst other things, this requires that States support and protect the work of human rights defenders, both at the national and international levels. Defenders prevent rights violations, provide essential services, document abuses, promote accountability, and propose solutions that are grounded in community priorities and needs.
    Resolving conflicts and crises also requires that States treat human rights as paramount and apply human rights laws and standards in a principled, consistent way. The selective and inconsistent application of international law undermines the integrity of the global human rights system and the responses to urgent situations where gross violations amounting to atrocity crimes may be committed.
    UN human rights experts and mechanisms have a crucial role to play in ringing alarm bells and ensuring States take action in a systematic manner – as do human rights defenders.
    During this event, we will discuss the powerful role defenders play in mobilising key actors, including the mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, to ensure effective measures are taken by multilateral bodies and UN Member States to put an end to impunity and ensure accountability.
    Speakers
    • Sudanese woman defender Tahani Abbas, Nora Center for Combating Sexual Violence
    • Palestinian defender Ahmed Abofoul, International Lawyer, Legal Researcher and Advocacy Officer at Al-Haq
    • Uyghur woman defender Zumretay Arkin, Chair of the Women’s Committee at the World Uyghur Congress (WUC)
    • Rohingya woman defender Yasmin Ullah, Founder and Executive Director of Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network
    • Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing
    • Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food (video statement)
    • Moderator: Nada Awad, ISHR

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Webinar: Understanding politics and elections in Bangladesh

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    FORUM-ASIA and ANFREL invite you to a webinar on Bangladesh elections on 11 December 2023 at 4 pm (Bangkok time).

    This webinar serves as a platform to shed light on the human rights violations that pose a significant threat to the democratic electoral process in Bangladesh in the lead-up to the January 2024 elections. Speakers will address the following key areas and elucidate their impact on the electoral processes.

    These discussions will be conducted in the context of a diminishing civic space in the run-up to the national elections scheduled for January 2024. The speakers aim to offer viewers a comprehensive understanding of the undemocratic aspects of the election process in Bangladesh and the substantial human rights violations associated with it.

    The webinar also aims to foster discussions on the nature of the electoral process that Bangladesh can anticipate as it approaches the elections in January 2024. The event is designed to facilitate informed dialogue on these pressing issues and their implications for the democratic processes in Bangladesh.

    Speakers:

    1. Sanjida Islam – Coordinator and Key Organiser, Maayer Daak (Oppression against human rights activists, opposition party members and individuals with dissenting voices)
    2. Mubashar Hasan – Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Oslo, Norway (The politicisation of the Judiciary and the influence of the ruling party). Mubashar Hasan is a Research Fellow at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, University of Oslo. He is also an adjunct fellow at the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative in University of Western Sydney, Australia. He has published widely in academic journals and co-edited Radicalization in South Asia published in 2019.
    3. Saydia Gulrukh – Journalist, New Age (Oppression against the Media). Saydia Gulrukh Kamal is a journalist working for the newspaper “New Age” and a labour rights defender. In the past decade, she has campaigned to bring justice for the victims of incidents in garment factories, such as the 2012 Tazreen factory fire that killed at least 112 workers and the 2013 Savar Building (Rana Plaza) collapse, where 1129 people were killed.
    4. John Reiner Antiquerra – Senior Programme Officer for Outreach and Communication, ANFREL (Moderator)

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] (Re)affirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: What does this mean in Asia?

     

    Date & Time:  Monday, December 11, 2023, 3.00-5.00PM (EST)
    Venue: Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York, NY (Directions)
    Register here
     
    Registration is required for this event.
    Please note that this is an in-person event, and no online participation will be available.

    The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is organising a discussion to explore and reflect on the significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) within the Asian context. The session features a compelling intergenerational dialogue with prominent human rights defenders and activists, bridging perspectives from the past and future of the Asian human rights movement. This introspective discussion aims to reflect on the 75-year journey of the UDHR while envisioning its future amidst the contemporary challenges faced by human rights in Asia. Emphasizing mutual learning and understanding, the dialogue seeks to rekindle a narrative of human rights and solidarity based on the fundamental principles enshrined in the UDHR.

     
    Speakers:
    1. Mary Aileen Diez Bacalso, Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA
    2. Benny Agus Prima, Human Rights Defenders Programme, FORUM-ASIA
    3. Sirikan Charoensiri, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Thailand
    4. Wai Wai Nu, Women’s Peace Network, Myanmar
    5. Imraan Mir, Kashmir Law and Justice Project

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] 10th Asian Human Rights Defenders Forum Opening Session: Keynote and Plenary Discussion

     

     

    Wednesday, 1 November 2023

    14.15 – 18.00 (GMT+8)

    Livestream via YouTube, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter)

    The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has been organising the biennial Asian Regional Human Rights Defenders Forum (AHRDF) since 2001. The Forum provides a platform for human rights defenders (HRDs) from diverse backgrounds to connect, share their experiences, discuss their work and advocacy efforts, and address common issues at the regional level. The AHRDF also aims to enhance HRDs’ engagement with the United Nations (UN) special procedures mandate holders and other regional and sub-regional human rights mechanisms.

    This year, the 10th AHRDF is especially significant as it marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The Forum seeks to celebrate the work of human rights defenders and discuss how to support their efforts in increasingly hostile contexts and emerging challenges in the region.

    Join us as we jumpstart the 10th Asian Human Rights Defenders Forum on 1 November 2023.

    Hear the stories of some of the region’s most fearless defenders.
    The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders will also be delivering a message.

    Also joining us to share his  insights on Asia’s current human rights situation is Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation YB Chang Lih Kang.

    Don’t miss this discussion! 

     

    Tune in on Facebook, X and YouTube.

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC54 Side Event] Human rights and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan: role and responsibility of the UN Human Rights Council and the international community

    Human rights and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan: role and responsibility of the UN Human Rights Council and the international community

     

    Organised by:

    Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

    With support of International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), and World Coalition Against Torture (OMCT)

     

    16h00 – 17h00 CEST, 13 September 2023

    Room XXV, Palais des Nations

     

     

    Two years after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan has become one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. Since Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s economy has collapsed, resulting in widespread and ever increasing poverty and food insecurity. Despite the asset releases and aid flows to Kabul, Taliban have failed to address Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian and economic crises. More than two thirds of the people of Afghanistan are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and more than 16 million children are left without basic food and essential health care.[1] While international aid remain in adequate, Taliban’s restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly of women, as well as its interference in the delivery of humanitarian aid, have exacerbated humanitarian and the economic crisis

    In over the two years since Taliban seized power, they have systematically erased women and girls from the society with decrees and proclamations in the name of ‘Sharia’ and continue to hold them hostage. Persecution of ethnic and religious minorities including Shias, Hazaras, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Sufis and Sikhs with targeted attacks from Taliban and other extremist, terrorist groups forcing many into displacement. Reports of forced and child marriages and suicides are on the rise across Afghanistan, while more and more Afghans flee the country fearing persecution.

    At the same time, global protection schemes and the humanitarian visa programs for people from Afghanistan have shrunk significantly. Additionally, thousands of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, especially those in neighbouring countries, face increasing threats of deportation and abuse by border regimes and police.

    In the absence of effective accountability measures, Taliban’s rule is perpetuating the human rights and humanitarian crisis. Gender persecution, systematic discrimination and persecution of minorities including Hazaras, forced displacement, lack of and unequal access to humanitarian aid and plight of Afghan refugees require urgent international attention and action. Holding Taliban accountable for their blatant violations and abuses of Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations should be at the center for international action on Afghanistan. It is essential that any attempt to address the multi-faceted crises in Afghanistan is informed by and grounded in the views of the people of Afghanistan, especially human rights defenders and civil society.

    Objectives

    1. To provide a platform for human rights defenders from Afghanistan to draw attention to the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, including new and emerging dimensions of these crises
    2. To provide recommendations for the UN Human Rights Council and the international community on the measures necessary to address the situation in Afghanistan, including, among others, accountability, humanitarian aid, internal displacement and protection of refugees and asylum seekers

    Speakers

    • Abdul Rahman Yasa, researcher – expertise in ethnic and religious minorities, formerly Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and Rule of Law, and Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN)
    • Sara Nabil – artist and activist, expertise in women’s rights and education, formerly with Center for Contemporary Arts Afghanistan.
    • Sana Jumazai, WHRD – expertise in women and human rights, member at HRD+, formerly with Afghan Women Skills Development Center (AWSDC)
    • Fereshta Abbasi, Human Rights Watch
    • Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan

    Moderator

    • Hafizullah Saeedi, FORUM-ASIA

    [1] https://www.unicef.org/rosa/press-releases/afghanistan-childrens-crisis-unicef-afghanistan-representative-fran-equizas-remarks

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Myanmar Advocacy Day: Hearing from People on the Ground and Experts in the Region

     

    Myanmar Advocacy Day: Hearing from People on the Ground
    and Experts in the Region
    9.00 am – 12.30 pm, 30 August 2023

    Registration: Click Here

    The attempted coup by the Myanmar military on February 1, 2021, has led to a series of grave atrocities within Myanmar and posed a significant threat to peace and stability in Southeast Asia. Over 1.6 million people have been internally displaced due to the military junta’s actions, causing neighboring countries like India and Thailand to deal with an influx of refugees. This migration, along with escalating violence, has resulted in political and socioeconomic repercussions across mainland and maritime Southeast Asia, jeopardizing regional peace and border security.

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) response to the crisis has been criticized for its lack of coherence and effectiveness. Despite adopting the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) in April 2021, ASEAN’s approach has failed to address the ongoing catastrophe. The military junta’s disregard for the 5PC and the escalating crimes have not prompted a substantial change in ASEAN’s stance. This has allowed the junta to continue manipulating aid delivery and exacerbating the crisis. While ASEAN maintains certain exclusions and engages in “inclusive dialogue,” these efforts have not curbed the junta’s actions or the international community’s reliance on the regional bloc to manage the crisis.

    In response to the urgency of the situation, two events are planned: a Public Hearing on human rights violations in Myanmar with victim testimonies before a panel of experts, and an Expert Panel on ASEAN’s approach toward Myanmar. The Public Hearing aims to raise awareness and gather insights from human rights experts on the military’s crimes. The Expert Panel intends to analyze ASEAN’s approach, particularly the 5PC, over the past two years and provide recommendations for more effective solutions. These events aim to foster understanding, encourage reflection, and reshape policies in alignment with the aspirations of the Myanmar people for a democratic nation.

    Public Hearing: Moderated by Khin Ohmar, Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Progressive Voice

    • Ibu Andy Yentriyani, Chair of Komnas Perempuan (National Commission on Violence Against Women)
    • Edmund Bon, Co-founder and Director of the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR)
    • Bapak Muhammad Isnur, Chair of the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation
    • Professor Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree, Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University

    Expert Panel: Moderated by Debbie Stothard, Coordinator and founder, ALTSEAN-Burma

    • Ibu Adelina Kamal, Advisory Group Member of Humanitarian Policy Group of DOI Former Executive Director of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre)
    • Ibu Eva Kusama Sundari, Former member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Board Treasurer
    • Atty. Evalyn Ursua, Human rights lawyer
    • Professor Dr. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Professor at the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
    • Salai Za Uk Ling, Deputy Executive Director, Chin Human Rights Organization

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC53 Side Event] Reclaiming Civic Space in Asia

     

    Reclaiming Civic Space in Asia

    HRC53 Side Event

    Organised by:

    Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation 

    Tuesday, 27 June 2023, 14h00-15h00 CEST

    Palais des Nations, Room XXV

     

    The rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly are essential for advocating and defending fundamental rights. However, Asia is experiencing a concerning decline in civic space and increasing restrictions on these rights. Restrictive laws, judicial harassment of protesters and journalists, arbitrary disbandment of civil society organizations, and bureaucratic obstacles to association registration are prevalent. These restrictions are further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising militarism, authoritarianism, and electoral contexts.

    In East and Southeast Asia, violations of fundamental freedoms are evident. Myanmar has implemented a restrictive law that imposes mandatory registration and criminal penalties on NGOs, exacerbating the junta’s brutality against protesters. Indonesia has amended its Societal Ordinance, granting the government authority to dissolve civil society organizations without court decisions. Harassment and violence against protesters in Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, as well as bureaucratic harassment, further silence opposition and dissent.

    South Asia also faces a shrinking civic space, with oppressive rule by the Taliban in Afghanistan and the use of repressive laws in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The Taliban actively disregards fundamental freedoms, particularly for women and girls. In India, repressive acts target civil society organizations and human rights activists, creating a chilling effect on their work. Sri Lanka witnesses grave violations of the right to peaceful assembly, and Bangladesh persists in using the Digital Security Act against journalists and dissenters.

    The decline in civic space across Asia, coupled with repressive laws suppressing freedoms of expression, association, and assembly, is alarming. Engaging with UN human rights mechanisms becomes crucial to hold Asian governments accountable to international standards. This side event aims to address these violations and restrictions.

     

    Speakers

    • Khin Ohmar, Chairperson of Progressive Voice, Myanmar
    • June Charoensiri, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Thailand
    • Cornelius Damar Hanung, East Asia and ASEAN Programme Manager (FORUM-ASIA)
    • Babloo Loitongbam, Human Rights Alert, India
    • Video statement by Clément Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
    • Moderator: Rajavelu Karunanithi, South Asia Programme Associate (FORUM-ASIA)

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC53 Side Event] Persecuted Twice: Gender-Based Persecution of Hazara Women in Afghanistan

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC53 Side Event] Marking the 25th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of human rights defenders

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC53 Side Event] The Taliban’s War on Women – The Crimes Against Humanity of Gender Persecution in Afghanistan

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Launch of Defending in Numbers: Rising Together Against All Odds

     

    Date: Wednesday, 21 June 2023

    Time: 3.00-5.00 PM (Colombo time)

    Venue: Kinsey Room, Jetwing Colombo Seven Hotel, Colombo

    Online link: YouTube Live https://www.youtube.com/@lawsocietytrust8867

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    FORUM-ASIA is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of Defending in Numbers: Rising Together Against All Odds. This biennial publication, produced by FORUM-ASIA, aims to identify the main patterns of harassment and challenges faced by Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) within the Asian region. It features emblematic case studies and firsthand information from HRDs, shedding light on the crucial role they play in advocating for human rights.

    Defending in Numbers analyses the situation of HRDs in Asia during the years 2021 and 2022, drawing on comprehensive monitoring and documentation of the violations they endured as documented in the Asian HRD Portal. The Portal reveals that a staggering total of 1,636 violations were committed against defenders across 22 Asian countries during this period. These violations impacted not only the defenders themselves but also their families, organisations, and communities, with at least 4,450 individuals affected by the actions of both state and non-state actors.

    As part of the launch of Defending in Numbers, FORUM-ASIA is pleased to announce its collaboration with our member, Law & Society Trust to shed light on the situation of HRDs in South Asia, focusing on #SriLanka. Even a year after the countrywide protest that resulted in the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, HRDs in Sri Lanka still face targeted attacks and ongoing challenges such as judicial harassment, prolonged pre-trial detention, and surveillance. This collaborative effort aims to delve deeper into the issues faced by HRDs in the region, specifically in Sri Lanka, providing a platform for a comprehensive and specific discussion of their circumstances.

    Opening Remarks

    • Sakuntala Kadirgamar, Executive Director, Law & Society Trust, Sri Lanka
    • Mary Aileen Mary Aileen Diez Bacalso, Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA

    Speakers

    • Hye Joon Lee, FORUM-ASIA
    • Deanne Uyangoda, Front Line Defenders
    • Nuwan Bopage (Sri Lankan lawyer and a Human Rights Defender).

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] HRC52 Side Event – Human Rights in Myanmar

    The political upheaval and attempted military coup in Myanmar have created a #humanrights crisis that demands immediate attention from the international community. The military junta has been accountable for numerous human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and the use of deadly force against peaceful protestors. It’s important to note that the human rights crisis in Myanmar has also led to the persecution of minority groups, particularly the Rohingya, and a significant migration crisis in the region. The situation is dire, with millions of people facing serious threats to their safety and well-being.
    Join us at Palais des Nations Room XXII next Monday in a #HRC52 side event that will provide a platform to discuss the situation in Myanmar and the role of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, CSOs and the diplomatic community in addressing the issue and their recommendations for moving forward.
    This event is hosted by FORUM-ASIA and United Nations Human Rights OHCHR Special Procedures Branch

  • [Event] Report Launch – Threads of Injustice: Exploitation of Garment workers Export Processing Zones (EPZs), Sri Lanka.

    Date: Wednesday, 15 March 2023

    Time: 09.00 AM (CMB)

    Venue:  Golden Star Hotel, Negombo, Sri Lanka / Livestream on YouTube

     

    The poor working conditions faced by garment workers in Sri Lanka’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs) is concerning. Various human rights violations and safety concerns is faced by workers, particularly female and transgender workers, who are exposed to sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace. The majority of garment workers are women, yet they are mostly concentrated in low-paying and low-skilled jobs within the sector. Workers are forced to perform dangerous tasks without any safety gear or training and are also made to pay for their own protective equipment, such as face masks, uniforms, and COVID-19 tests amid the pandemic.

    Moreover, factories in the EPZs pressure workers to meet unrealistic production targets, negatively impacting their physical and mental health. Workers do not even have time to eat, drink water, or use the toilet, leading to severe health issues. The workers are not allowed to form or join unions, violating their fundamental right to peaceful assembly and association. Those who do try to form unions risk losing their jobs, making it difficult for them to raise their voices against these injustices.  The contrast between the rapid growth of the Sri Lankan apparel sector and the lack of progress for workers is stark. Despite the sector’s growth, workers have not received increased wages or improved working conditions.

    We are pleased to invite you to the launch of a new report by FORUM-ASIA and Law and Society Trust Sri Lanka on the poor working conditions in Sri Lanka’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs). The report highlights the various human rights violations and safety concerns faced by workers, particularly female and transgender workers, in the EPZs.

    Speakers:

    • Rashmini de Silva – Researcher, Law and Society Trust
    • Chamila Thushari – Programme Coordinator, Dabindu Workers Collective
    • Ashila Dandeniya – Founder, Standup Movement Sri Lanka
    • Lakmali Hemachandra – Attorney-at-Law

    For more information about this event, contact communication@forum-asia.org

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Keeping Hope Alive: Risking it All to Defend Human Rights in Asia’s Crisis Areas

    Keeping Hope Alive: Risking it All to Defend Human Rights in Asia’s Crisis Areas

     United Nations Human Rights Council 52nd Session side-event

    13 March 2023, 13.00 – 14.00

    Palais des Nations, Room XXII

    The ongoing crises in many countries in the region, in particular in situations of conflict, exacerbate the already dire situation for HRDs. Defenders working in conflict situations face further risk and operate in highly unsafe working environments. Defenders who called out atrocities committed by those in power have been arbitrarily arrested, tortured, and even killed, as seen often Myanmar and Afghanistan. In protracted crisis areas like India-administered Kashmir, defenders face systematic harassment, including surveillance and judicial harassment, as emblematic in the case of Khurram Parvez. Furthermore, defenders working in conflict situations are even more exposed to negative narratives, and often labeled as terrorists or threats to national security by authorities.

    Despite such a hostile context and risks, HRDs operating in conflict situations across Asia continue to struggle for the protection of human rights. Their important work in documenting violations, raising public and international awareness about the situations they work in are often the main source of hope for justice, accountability, and peace for victims, survivors and those living in conflict situations. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in 2023, it is crucial to reflect and discuss how to better support those working in increasingly hostile contexts.

    We cordially invite you to a side event organized by FORUM-ASIA, in collaboration with CIVICUS, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Front Line Defenders (FLD), and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The event will provide a platform for HRDs operating in conflict areas in Asia to share their experiences, discuss challenges and successes, and identify recommendations and good practices for the international community and other stakeholders to better support them and the human rights movement in the region.

    For more information, contact United Nations Advocacy Programme: una@forum-asia.org

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Supporting war criminals: How the largest global human rights network is legitimizing the illegal military junta in Myanmar

    Supporting war criminals: How the largest global human rights network is legitimizing the illegal military junta in Myanmar
    Civil society networks working to strengthen the promotion and protection of national human rights institutions will hold an online press conference

     

    When: Monday 27 February 2023, 14:30 – 15:30 Yangon Time (GMT+6:30)
    Registration: bit.ly/3KpA92i

    One of the largest human rights networks worldwide, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), which is a partner of the United Nations with a Head Office in Geneva, Switzerland, has invited representatives of the Myanmar military junta to its 2023 Annual Meeting. The GANHRI’s Annual Meeting will be held in person in Geneva at the UN on 14 – 16 March 2023.
    Over two years since the 1 February 2021 failed coup, the Myanmar military has committed grave crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity with total impunity. Over 3,000 people have been killed by the military junta and nearly 20,000 people arrested. Since 2021, the Myanmar junta has been utilizing international platforms to promote its propaganda to legitimize its illegal attempts to grab power. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), which has since February 2021 been under the control of the illegal junta and is likely to attend the meeting, has acted as an agent of the military, representing the interests of the illegitimate military junta and advancing the junta’s propagandas at regional national human rights institution’s meetings and conferences.

    The CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institution (Burma/Myanmar) and the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) will hold a press conference to highlight the concerns of civil society. We will also launch an analysis paper “Accessory to the Junta’s Crimes” which evaluates the MNHRC’s actions and complicity in the junta’s failed coup in the context of Myanmar’s Spring Revolution. The panelists will discuss why GANHRI’s invitation to the junta has serious repercussions for the people of Myanmar and what actions GANHRI can take to correct its course.

    Speakers:

    •  Khin Ohmar, Founder and Chairperson of Advisory Board, Progressive Voice
    •  Shanna Priangka Ramadhanti, Coordinator, Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI)
    •  Zee Pe, Director, Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] 2 Years of the Myanmar Coup: The Role of Government and CSOs for a Responsive ASEAN

    The people of Myanmar have remained steadfast in their fight against the military junta’s oppressive actions, as evidenced by the attempted coup from February 1, 2021 to the present day. With Indonesia holding the chairmanship of ASEAN, it holds both potential power and a great responsibility to end these repressive actions, as the existence of the junta is believed to be upheld by various regional forum activities.

    Join FORUM-ASIA, KontraS, CIVICUS the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) for a press conference on Thursday, February 2, 2023 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm WIB, streamed live on KontraS’ YouTube channel.

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Crackdown Against Peoples’ Movements in Sri Lanka

    Date: Monday, 19 September 2022

    Time: 15:00 (CMB) / 16:30 (BKK) /

    Venue:  Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn

    Registration: http://l.forum-asia.org/SLregister

    Plagued with power cuts, soaring fuel prices, and shortages of essential items since January 2022, Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence. The people of Sri Lanka took to the streets in droves to protest against the government under former President Gotabaya Rajapakse. They demanded accountability for the policies and measures that led to the crisis.

    In response, peaceful protestors were met with violence perpetrated by authorities including physical assault, tear gas and firing. The government also restricted peoples’ right to the freedom of assembly, and cracked down on human rights defenders and the media.

    The crackdown against activists and protestors have only intensified since the new government took charge under President Ranil Wikramasinghe. More trade unionists, student leaders, journalists, activists, and lawyers are facing arbitrary arrests, detentions, intimidation and surveillance. The army forcefully dispersed and destroyed the epicenter of the protests at Galle Face.

    Despite all odds, the people of Sri Lanka are continuing to voice their dissent and seek accountability from the government. The government and authorities, instead of focusing on economic reforms, are keen in ending the peoples’ movement.

    Join us at this online public event to hear from human rights defenders who have been at the forefront of the crisis, as they speak about their experiences at the protests and as a part of the peoples’ movements in Sri Lanka. The event will discuss the ongoing crackdown against human rights defenders, and identify ways foward.

    Speakers:

    • Fr Jeevantha Peiris, Protest Leader
    • Prashandini Uthayakumar, Attorney at Law
    • Amali Wedagedera, Researcher
    • Ruki Fernando, Human Rights Defender

    Moderated by Debendra Adhikari, FORUM-ASIA.

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] One Year of Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan: A Reflection on Human Rights Situations and Ways Forward

     

    Date: Tuesday, 16 August 2022

    Time: 4.00 – 15.30 (GVA) / 16.00 – 18.00 (KBL) / 19.00 – 20.30 (BKK)

    Venue: Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn

    Registration: https://l.forum-asia.org/OneYearAFG

    One year since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban has applied a range of restrictive policies that completely deny and/or violate fundamental human rights, freedoms and human dignity affecting different groups of people across Afghanistan. Extra-judicial killings of former government employees, especially the security forces, ban on girls’ education and proscribing women’s mobility, enforced displacement of ethno-religious minorities, suppression of peaceful protests, torture, arrest, and family intimidation of W/HRDs and restriction of freedom of the press are just a few examples of Taliban’s suppression of human rights and freedoms in Afghanistan.

    Taliban also dissolved the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), and many W/HRDs, journalists and those whose work are deemed as against Taliban values are in hiding and/or exile, fearing the Taliban’s retribution. Currently, only the UN offices and a few humanitarian organizations are able to operate on the ground. Yet, reportedly, even they are facing serious restrictions and interventions by the Taliban.

     

    Speakers

    1. Richard Bennett, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.
    2. Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
    3. Horia Mosadiq, Founder of Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization.
    4. Aziz Rafiee, Managing Director of Afghan Civil Society Forum.
    5. Nayera Kohistani, Women human rights defenders and protester

     

    Speakers

    1. Richard Bennett, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.
    2. Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
    3. Horia Mosadiq, Founder of Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization.
    4. Aziz Rafiee, Managing Director of Afghan Civil Society Forum.
    5. Nayera Kohistani, women protester.

    Moderated by: Ahmed Adam, United Nations Advocacy Manager, FORUM-ASIA

    For more information or to set up an interview with any of the speakers, please contact FORUM-ASIA Communication and Media Programme at communication@forum-asia.org.

  • [HRC50 Side Event] Justice for the Rohingya and All People in Myanmar

     

    Date: Monday, 27 June 2022
    Time: 13.30 – 14.30 CEST / 18.30 – 19.30 Bangkok time
    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/HRC50-MMEvent
    Live via: Zoom

     

    This month marks 10 years since violence broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, laying the groundwork for a decade of oppression, deprivation, and violence against the Rohingya. The military, confident there would be no consequences for its crimes, went on to carry out more brutal and organized atrocities in 2016 and 2017 with total impunity.

    In February 2021, those same generals staged a coup and launched a brutal nationwide crackdown. Panellists will discuss the root causes of the military’s atrocities, the impact of the coup on the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities, and paths for holding perpetrators accountable.

    Speakers:

    • Wai Wai Nu, Women’s Peace Network
    • Tun Khin, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    • Naw Htoo Htoo, Karen Human Rights Group
    • Shayna Bauchner, Human Rights Watch

    Moderator: Ahmed Adam, FORUM-ASIA

    This is an HRC50 Side Event organised by Human Rights Watch and FORUM-ASIA

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Beyond ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus: Humanitarian Assistance to Myanmar

     

    Date: Thursday, 5 May 2022

    Time: 3.00 – 4.30 (Bangkok GMT +7)

    Venue: Zoom / Facebook Live and Twitter Live via FORUM-ASIA

    Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sk3AXyL1QT2r-7WtqVYExw

     

    One year on since the adoption of the Five Point Consensus on Myanmar was reached, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states have not achieved any progress to address the catastrophic political, human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.

    In marking the occasion, civil society organizations called on ASEAN to move beyond the consensus and have raised serious concerns about whether the ASEAN’s disaster management body, ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), is suited to deliver humanitarian assistance in Myanmar as mandated under the consensus.

    The AHA Centre has no mechanism under which it provides aid to those in need in the context of conflict, and in which its main partner that would deliver aid in the affected country is the clear aggressor and cause of the humanitarian disaster.

    Such concerns are even more pressing as Cambodia, current Chair of ASEAN, is to host a Consultative Meeting on ASEAN humanitarian assistance to Myanmar on May 6th. In Myanmar, the military junta continues to block the delivery of humanitarian aid and attack and arrest local aid workers.

    Progressive Voice, The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation invite you to a webinar with a panel of regional and local experts to discuss expectations and explore challenges of ASEAN’s approach to humanitarian assistance in Myanmar.

     

    Moderator: Marzuki Daruzman, member of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar

    Speakers:

    • Adelina Kamal, Associate Senior Fellow of ISEAS and Former Executive Director of the AHA Centre
    • Kasit Piromya, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Board Member, former Thai Foreign Minister
    • Naw Htoo Htoo, Program Director, Karen Human Rights Group
    • Salai Za Uk Ling, Deputy Executive Director, Chin Human Rights Organization

     

    For more information or to set up an interview with any of the speakers, please contact FORUM-ASIA Communication and Media Programme at communication@forum-asia.org.

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Report Launch: Making Institutions Count: Strengthening Support for Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) in Asia by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs)

    Date: Thursday, 26 April 2022

    Time: 11.00 – 12.30 (GMT+7)

    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/WHRDReportLaunch

    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

    Across the Asian region, women human rights defenders (WHRDs) have been at the forefront of struggles and movements for securing and advancing human rights for all. While WHRD-led movements have gained traction in recent years, they have been strongly impacted by increasingly repressive and authoritarian political environments. Threats and reprisals against WHRDs have come from both state and non-state actors, and gender-based violence and abuse against them are particularly prevalent.

    WHRDs require greater support and recognition by all stakeholders, including National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), with gender-specific responses and protection measures to create a safe and enabling environment.

    Recognising their challenges, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), as the Secretariat of the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF), is launching a thematic report “Making Institutions Count: Strengthening Support for WHRDs in Asia by NHRIs”.

    Join the discussion on NHRI-led advocacy challenges and milestones on protecting WHRDs in this event.

    Speakers: 

    • Karen Gomez-Dumpit, Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights, Philippines
    • Vita Yudhani, Advocacy Officer, The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM)
    • Ambika Satkunanathan, Fellow, Open Society Foundations; and Former Commissioner, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
    • Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director, Asia Pacific Forum (APF)

    Moderated by: Shomira Sanyal, NHRI Programme, FORUM-ASIA

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC49 Side Event] Justice and Accountability for Myanmar: Expectations and Possibilities

    Date: Tuesday, 22 March 2021
    Time: 10.00 – 11.30 CEST / 16.00 – 17.30 Bangkok time
    Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rTYTAFyYS-WwK3s_sgszdQ
    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
    Interpretation: Burmese interpretation available on Zoom

    Over one year since the Myanmar military initiated a violent coup d’état, the military’s brutal attempt to take power from the people of Myanmar has failed. Against all odds, the people of Myanmar continue to resist the Myanmar military, steadfastly demonstrating the strong will of the people of Myanmar in face of grave human rights violations committed against them.

    The human rights situation in Myanmar is facing a nadir. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have stated that the Myanmar military has engaged in systematic and widespread human rights violations, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet, the international community, including the UN, has not responded with the immediacy and concerted effort that is needed to address the grave crimes committed by the military. Victims and survivors of grave crimes – past and present – have yet to see justice as perpetrators continue to enjoy total impunity, as they have enjoyed for decades, without being held to account.

    Against this backdrop, a representative of the National Unity Government – formed by democratically-elected representatives chosen by the Myanmar people in the 2020 general elections – and civil society organizations will offer updates on the human rights situation in Myanmar. Discussion will be followed by analysis and recommendations from the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, comprised of former UN mandate holders on the human rights situation in Myanmar. The side event will reflect on the Human Rights Council’s response to Myanmar during its 49th Regular Session while identifying opportunities for future Council sessions towards justice and accountability for grave crimes committed in Myanmar.

    Panelists:

    • Aung Myo Min, Minister for Human Rights, National Unity Government of Myanmar
    • Marzuki Darusman, Member of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar and Former Chair of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar
    • Salai Za Uk, Deputy Executive Director, Chin Human Rights Organization
    • Naw Htoo Htoo, Programme Director, Karen Human Rights Group
    • Razia Sultana, Rohingya Human Rights Activist Founder of RW Welfare Society

    Moderator: Khin Ohmar, Founder and Chairperson, Progressive Voice

    This is a UN side event at the UN Human Rights Council 49th Regular Session organised by FORUM-ASIA and Progressive Voice.

    Media contact: For more information or to set up an interview with any of the speakers, please contact Adam Ahmed, FORUM-ASIA adam@forum-asia.org or Rin Fujimatsu, Progressive Voice rin@progressive-voice.org.

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [HRC49 Side Event] Defenders in Asia: Holding the line amid mounting challenges

    Date: Tuesday, 8 March 2022

    Time: 13:00 – 14:30 (CET, Geneva) / 19:00 – 20:30 (ICT, Bangkok)

    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/HRC48.HRD.Register

    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube

    Human rights defenders (HRDs) play a key role in upholding and advancing human rights. In response to their bold and tireless work, HRDs become targets of harassment and attacks by both State and non-State actors on a daily basis around the globe. In Asia, in 2021 alone, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) documented 820 cases of violations against HRDs across 18 Asian countries. The most common violations included judicial harassment (416 cases recorded), often coupled with arbitrary arrest and detention (378 cases); physical violence (221 cases); and intimidation and threats (145 cases). At least 83 cases of killing of HRDs were recorded.

    Defenders are holding the line and enduring the struggle for the promotion of human rights, despite increasingly hostile and repressive environments across the region. Join us as we reflect on the situation of defenders and discuss concrete recommendations to relevant stakeholders including civil society organisations, UN member states, UN agencies, and businesses on what can be done to support HRDs and protect them from violations and abuses.

    Speakers:

    •  Ms. Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders
    • Vrinda Grover, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, India
    • Haris Azhar, co-founder of Lokataru Foundation, Indonesia
    • Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Programme Coordinator, Asian Legal Resource Centre and Asian Human Rights
      Commission, Bangladesh
    • Sopheap Chak, Executive Director, Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), Cambodia

    Moderated by Benny Agus Prima, FORUM-ASIA

    This is a UN side event at HRC49 organised by FORUM-ASIA, CIVICUS, ISHR, and OMCT.

    Media contact: For more information or to set up an interview with any of the speakers, please contact FORUM-ASIA Communication and Media Programme at communication@forum-asia.org

    About the organisations: 

    • The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is a network of 82 member organisations across 23 countries, mainly in Asia. Founded in 1991, FORUM-ASIA works to strengthen movements for human rights and sustainable development through research, advocacy, capacity development and solidarity actions in Asia and beyond. It has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and a consultative relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The FORUM-ASIA Secretariat is based in Bangkok, with offices in Jakarta, Geneva and Kathmandu.
    • CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. www.civicus.org
    • The International Service for Human Rights is an independent, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights. ishr.ch/
    • The OMCT works with 200 member organisations to end torture and ill-treatment, assist victims, and protect human rights defenders at risk wherever they are. https://www.omct.org/

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Press Briefing: Myanmar coup one year on – ASEAN must not fail its peoples

    Date: Monday, 31 January 2022

    Time: 10.00 – 11.30 PM (GMT+7)

    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/ANNILaunch2021

    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

     

    As of 21 January 2022, the junta has killed 1488, arrested 11665 and systematically committed atrocities such as torture, sexual abuse, arbitrary detention. It has done these despite international condemnation. This violence has led to a deteriorating humanitarian situation that has seen hundreds of thousands displaced.

    One year is more than enough to sit back and expect the dialogue to happen.

    ASEAN Member States and its Leaders need to step up their efforts and engage with the international community to scrutinise the junta’s action and bring the perpetrators accountable.

    Organised by Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), and Progressive Voice, this media briefing reminds ASEAN Member States and the whole ASEAN community of the regional bloc’s failure to hold the junta accountable for its grave human rights violations and its lack of commitment to the five-point consensus on Myanmar.

     

    Speakers: 

    • E. Ambassador U Bo Hla Tint, National Unity Government (NUG) Ambassador to ASEAN
    • Khin Ohmar, Chairperson, Progressive Voice
    • Hannah Mo, Member of Karenni State Parliament Member of Secretariat, Karenni State Consultative Council
    • Fatia Maulidiyanti, KontraS
    • Eva Sundari, Former Member of Parliaments of Indonesia, Board of APHR

    Moderator: Cornelius Hanung, Asia Advocacy and Campaigns Officer, CIVICUS

     

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Report Launch: 2020 ANNI Report on the Performance and Establishment of National Human Rights Institutions in Asia

    Date: Thursday, 9 December 2021

    Time: 1.00 – 3.00 PM (GMT+7)

    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/ANNILaunch2021

    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

     

    The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) is pleased to launch the 2020 Report on the Performance of National Human Rights Institutions, a report that critically assesses the performance of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in 2020 against the Paris Principles, which are the minimum international standards for ensuring independent, effective, and credible NHRIs for the promotion and protection of human rights.

    NHRIs play an important role in helping States meet their human rights obligations under international law. However, the ANNI report highlights that in 2020, most NHRIs were unable to perform their mandates effectively. Their independence had been compromised due to the repressive laws and governments have often excluded NHRIs when developing COVID-19 responses.

    The human rights situation in 11 Asian countries covered in the report has continued to deteriorate due to the pandemic. Civic space has continued to shrink, and human rights defenders have persisted to work in precarious conditions, and with minimal protection.

    Join the discussion on NHRI-related advocacy during the pandemic, lessons learned, setbacks, and good practices from NHRIs in Asia.

    Speakers:

    • Dr Sakuntala Kadirgamar, Law and Society Trust (Sri Lanka)
    • Kenneth Cheng, SUARAM (Malaysia)
    • Thanarat Deejantuek, People’s Empowerment Foundation (Thailand)
    • Hyun-Phil Na, KHIS (Korea)
    • Ahmad Taufan Damanik, Chairperson, Komnas HAM (Indonesia) – To be confirmed

    Moderator: Shomira Sanyal, FORUM-ASIA NHRI Programm Associate

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Cambodia as ASEAN Chair: Prospects for Human Rights in 2022

     

    Date: Friday, 19 November 2021

    Time: 2– 3.30 PM (GMT+7), 1.30 – 3.00 PM (GMT+6.30)

    Register here: l.forum-asia.org/ASEANWeb21

    Live via: Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

     

    Already plagued by the crippling effects of COVID-19 in the region, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been dealing with the violent military coup in Myanmar. General Min Aung Hlaing’s vicious military coup that overthrew the ruling government and has dismantled civil society up to this day. The worsening crisis in Myanmar tested the waters for ASEAN’s incumbent chair Brunei Darussalam, which failed to take any bold actions to address the crisis. The ALM Five-Point Consensus has not been fully implemented, even with the recent visit of ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar and Brunei Second Minister of Foreign Affairs Erywan bin Pehin Yusof to the country. Brunei’s statement on the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits held virtually last 26 October 2021 paid little attention to the looming human rights violations in ASEAN.

    Cambodia, the youngest member of ASEAN, will chair the ten-member bloc next year. In leading ASEAN, the country hopes to rebound from its controversial chairpersonship back in 20123, when they failed to release a statement during its Foreign Ministers Meeting in July that year, a first since ASEAN was established4. Likewise, Cambodia’s bleak national human rights record and its continuous disregard for human rights, may derail ASEAN’s ambitious hopes to be a community advocating for the 3Ps: people, peace, and prosperity.

    In conjunction with the much-anticipated turnover of the ASEAN chairpersonship and the conclusion of the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summit, FORUM-ASIA and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation will conduct a two-hour webinar titled “Cambodia as ASEAN Chair: Prospects for Human Rights in 2022.”

     

    Speakers:

    ● Josef Benedict, Asia Pacific Researcher – CIVICUS
    ● Khin Ohmar, Founder of Progressive Voice
    ● U Bo Hla Htint, National Unity Government Ambassador to the ASEAN
    ● Rachel Arinii Judhistari, Director for Policy, WikiMedia
    ● Chak Sopheap, Executive Director for Cambodian Center for Human Rights

    Moderator: Gianna Francesca Catolico, ASEAN Advocacy Fellow, FORUM-ASIA

     

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Myanmar: The Role of Journalist Fighting for Democracy and Freedom of Expression

    Date: Friday, 19 November 2021

    Time: 14.00– 15.30 AM (GMT+7), 13.30 – 15.00 PM (GMT+6.30)

    Register here: bit.ly/MyanmarDiscussion

    Live via: Zoom

    Nine months have passed since the military seized control of Myanmar’s from the elected government in early February in Myanmar and declared themselves “the caretaker government” with Min Aung Hlaing as a prime minister to rule the country under the extended state of emergency, supposedly until elections are held in 2023.

    The developments that happened in the past decade, since 2011, created high expectations inside and outside the country and led optimistic observers to assume that the country was on the verge of making a genuine democratic transition. This ‘democratic transition’ however failed to materialise, particularly for the ethnic minorities and the Rohingya who faced grave human rights violations including genocide. In February 2021, the military junta attempted a coup that further shattered expectations for reforms in the country and revealed to the rest of the country the immense capacity for violence of the junta.

    On 7 September 2021, after months of the military’s refusal to hand power back to the democratically elected government, the National Unity Government (NUG) declared an all-out struggle by announcing a “defensive war”, in an attempt to salvage whatever space there is for free expression.
    Independent press freedom has been destroyed and Section 505 (a) has become the junta’s key weapon against freedom of expression. Section 505 (a) of the penal code was amended after the coup, with much broader language, and criminalizes comments that “cause fear”, spread “false news” or “agitate directly or indirectly a criminal offence against a Government employee”, bringing the maximum sentence up to three years, and introducing fines.

    The military has taken repressive actions against local and foreign media, with numerous local and international journalists targeted for doing their jobs and forcing many into hiding or exile. Reporting ASEAN reported that the military had arrested 102 journalists since they took the power and 48 are still detained since February. While 11 media houses have been charged under Section 505 (a) of Myanmar’s penal code, had their licenses revoked, or both. As of July 30, 5 journalists were convicted of Section 505 (a).

    As a result, the threat to journalists in Burma remains very real, and practising journalism in the country takes bravery. Several foreign reporters have also been detained or forced out of the country. Pro-democracy groups and journalists living in exile played a crucial role in continuing to report what is happening in the country, at great risk to themselves – journalistic work that has allowed the international community to understand the crisis in Myanmar and has further highlighted the role of journalism in fighting for democracy.

    The Tatmadaw’s extreme actions to create a political landscape that is hostile to free media and free speech merits a more unified and synergistic response between pro-democracy actors both within and outside Myanmar. Through this collaborative engagement hosted by FORUM-ASIA and ADN, we hope to catalyze a discussion on finding ways to enable support for independent journalists and media amid this dangerous situation. This includes crafting effective international advocacy, gathering support for threatened journalists, connecting them with other pro-democracy actors and agencies, and other actions that defend the remaining space for free speech and independent media. As an outcome, we hope that international actors will be informed of open passageways through which these support systems can be provided and the various initiatives and recommendations they can do to support the remaining space for free speech in Myanmar.

    **

    This is a Special Session of Asia Democracy Assembly scheduled on November 23-24, 2021 organised by ADN and FORUM-ASIA

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.

  • [Event] Myanmar: The Role of Journalist Fighting for Democracy and Freedom of Expression

    Date: Friday, 19 November 2021

    Time: 14.00– 15.30 AM (GMT+7), 13.30 – 15.00 PM (GMT+6.30)

    Register here: bit.ly/MyanmarDiscussion

    Live via: Zoom

    Nine months have passed since the military seized control of Myanmar’s from the elected government in early February in Myanmar and declared themselves “the caretaker government” with Min Aung Hlaing as a prime minister to rule the country under the extended state of emergency, supposedly until elections are held in 2023.

    The developments that happened in the past decade, since 2011, created high expectations inside and outside the country and led optimistic observers to assume that the country was on the verge of making a genuine democratic transition. This ‘democratic transition’ however failed to materialise, particularly for the ethnic minorities and the Rohingya who faced grave human rights violations including genocide. In February 2021, the military junta attempted a coup that further shattered expectations for reforms in the country and revealed to the rest of the country the immense capacity for violence of the junta.

    On 7 September 2021, after months of the military’s refusal to hand power back to the democratically elected government, the National Unity Government (NUG) declared an all-out struggle by announcing a “defensive war”, in an attempt to salvage whatever space there is for free expression.
    Independent press freedom has been destroyed and Section 505 (a) has become the junta’s key weapon against freedom of expression. Section 505 (a) of the penal code was amended after the coup, with much broader language, and criminalizes comments that “cause fear”, spread “false news” or “agitate directly or indirectly a criminal offence against a Government employee”, bringing the maximum sentence up to three years, and introducing fines.

    The military has taken repressive actions against local and foreign media, with numerous local and international journalists targeted for doing their jobs and forcing many into hiding or exile. Reporting ASEAN reported that the military had arrested 102 journalists since they took the power and 48 are still detained since February. While 11 media houses have been charged under Section 505 (a) of Myanmar’s penal code, had their licenses revoked, or both. As of July 30, 5 journalists were convicted of Section 505 (a).

    As a result, the threat to journalists in Burma remains very real, and practising journalism in the country takes bravery. Several foreign reporters have also been detained or forced out of the country. Pro-democracy groups and journalists living in exile played a crucial role in continuing to report what is happening in the country, at great risk to themselves – journalistic work that has allowed the international community to understand the crisis in Myanmar and has further highlighted the role of journalism in fighting for democracy.

    The Tatmadaw’s extreme actions to create a political landscape that is hostile to free media and free speech merits a more unified and synergistic response between pro-democracy actors both within and outside Myanmar. Through this collaborative engagement hosted by FORUM-ASIA and ADN, we hope to catalyze a discussion on finding ways to enable support for independent journalists and media amid this dangerous situation. This includes crafting effective international advocacy, gathering support for threatened journalists, connecting them with other pro-democracy actors and agencies, and other actions that defend the remaining space for free speech and independent media. As an outcome, we hope that international actors will be informed of open passageways through which these support systems can be provided and the various initiatives and recommendations they can do to support the remaining space for free speech in Myanmar.

    **

    This is a Special Session of Asia Democracy Assembly scheduled on November 23-24, 2021 organised by ADN and FORUM-ASIA

    This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.