43rd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on Reports and Updates of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Oral Statement Delivered by Ahmed Adam On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Friday, 28 February 2020 Madam President, we share the High Commissioner’s concerns about [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 28 January 2020) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the arbitrary arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, a Pakistani human rights defender and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), together with other members of PTM. His arrest seems to have been based on his protests and activism, [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 2 December 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) is deeply concerned over the crackdown on the peaceful Student Solidarity March, which was organised by students in 50 cities across Pakistan on 29 November 2019. The march was: in protest against fee increases; demanded an end to surveillance over students, [ Read more ]

Press release Idris Khattak likely forcibly disappeared Islamabad, 20 November. It has now been a week since human rights defender and political activist Idris Khattak was abducted, allegedly by unidentified persons in Swabi. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strong reason to believe that this abduction is a possible enforced disappearance, given that [ Read more ]

Pakistan: Protect freedom of expression through art (Kathmandu/Bangkok, 31 October 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) is deeply concerned over the forceful shut down of an art installation depicting alleged extrajudicial killings by Karachi Police on 27 October. The shutdown of the exhibition is an attack on free expression. Curated [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu/ Bangkok, 25 October 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) expresses concern over the alleged abduction of Muhammad Ismail, the father of Pashtun women human rights defender Gulalai Ismail. Muhammad Ismail was last seen being picked up by men wearing black militia dress outside Pashawar High Court yesterday.[1] Gulalai’s family [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA organised its second Global Advocacy Learning Programme (GALP) on Human Rights and Development in Thailand on 27 October – 2 November 2018. Below is a case study written by one of the participants of the GALP in 2018. Information on the upcoming GALP, to be held in 2020, will be announced soon. Disclaimer: The [ Read more ]

Press release Balochistan: Neglected still Islamabad, 2 October. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has released a detailed report after a fact-finding mission to Balochistan. Titled Balochistan: Neglected Still, the report states that Balochistan continues to be shortchanged politically. Incidents of enforced disappearance continue: in most cases, victims’ families say they are afraid of [ Read more ]

Press release HRCP takes note of deaths in police custody Lahore, 4 September. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has taken serious note of at least four incidents involving suspects’ deaths in police custody. Earlier, in August, HRCP investigated reports that two young Hindu boys in Mirpur Khas – accused of murder – were [ Read more ]

Press release Solidarity with forcibly disappeared persons across the world Lahore, 30 August 2019. As we observe International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expresses solidarity with all victims of enforced disappearance the world over. Our thoughts are also with those Kashmiris who have been forcibly disappeared as part of [ Read more ]