In marking the five-year commemoration of the genocide committed against the Rohingya in 2017, 384 civil society organizations reaffirm our commitment to continue to stand in solidarity with and seek justice for the Rohingya, to ensure the full restoration of their rights in Myanmar, and to end the impunity of the Myanmar military. The plight [ Read more ]

12 August 2022 Afghanistan: One year after Taliban takeover, human rights defenders at greater risk than ever One year since the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan, conditions for human rights defenders, especially women, have further deteriorated, the undersigned members of Protect Defenders.eu – said today. A year ago, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, [ Read more ]

(Geneva) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet should publicly call for an immediate end to serious abuses including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances during her upcoming visit to Bangladesh, nine human rights organizations said today. Bachelet will visit Bangladesh from August 14-18, 2022. During the trip, she will meet with government officials and civil [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organizations, condemn the Sri Lankan authorities’ violent crackdown and increasing reprisals against peaceful protesters in Sri Lanka. This includes arrests, intimidation and the brutal attack on the protest camp in Colombo on 22 July 2022. The Sri Lankan authorities must ensure that security forces do not use excessive force and will respect [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the execution carried out by the military junta against four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar. We call on the international community, including ASEAN states, to publicly denounce these grave violations committed by the junta and to hold them accountable for their crimes. The four include prominent democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu better known [ Read more ]

The joint European Union (EU)-India press release, which provides a summary of the topics  discussed during the 10th EU-India human rights dialogue which took place on 15 July 2022 in New Delhi, fails to adequately address pressing issues of security and reprisals faced by human rights defenders in India, five human rights organizations said today. [ Read more ]

Five human rights organizations strongly condemned the brutal attack against unarmed peaceful protesters by Sri Lankan forces in Colombo on in the early hours of 22 July 2022 . Since March 2022, thousands of people including human rights defenders, journalists, and members of civil society have been protesting peacefully across the country against the government’s [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 22 July 2022) – ‘We welcome the special message of the Prime Minister of Nepal to fully implement the Kamaya Labour (Prohibition) Act of 2001 and call on government agencies to implement inclusive and non-discriminatory social protection programmes to ensure the rehabilitation of the Harawa-Charawa,’ said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 15 July 2022) – ‘The arrest and judicial harassment of human rights defender Teesta Setalvad is a clear reprisal for seeking justice and accountability for 2002 Gujarat riots,’ said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and 5 of its member organisations in India. Teesta Setalvad is an outspoken journalist and the [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned organizations, are alarmed by provisions in the draft amendments of the Indonesian Criminal Code, recently made public, that will negatively impact civic space and fundamental freedoms in the country. We call for these provisions to be repealed and for the Indonesian government and parliament to conduct public consultations before adopting the draft [ Read more ]