Re: The request made to the People’s Majlis (Parliament), to investigate and take adequate action against the freezing of accounts and unauthorised seizure of MVR 866,620.35 (US$ 56,201.06) from the State Bank of India accounts held by Maldivian Democracy Network in the Maldives. 03rd June 2020 The undersigned organisations have jointly submitted a petition to [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 23 April 2020) – The murder of Maldivian human rights defender and writer, Yameen Rasheed, three years ago, remains a stain on the human rights record of the Maldives, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and its member Maldivian Democracy Network, said in a statement today. Yameen Rasheed, a prominent writer and [ Read more ]

** This side event is cancelled due to the global COVID-19 situation ** Date: 5 March 2020 Time: 13:00 – 14:00 Venue: Room XXVII, Palais des Nations, Geneva Moderator: Sejin Kim, FORUM-ASIA Panelists:  Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of HRDs Mandkhaitsetsen Urantulkhuur, Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia Shahindha Ismail, Maldivian Democracy [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 25 December 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the announcement by the Maldivian authorities on 19 December 2019 that the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) has been dissolved. MDN is a prominent human rights organisation, and a member of FORUM-ASIA. On 19 December 2019, the Ministry of Youth, [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Geneva/Kathmandu/Paris, 6 November 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders – a partnership between International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) – strongly condemn the decision on 5 November 2019 of the Maldivian authorities to [ Read more ]

23 October 2019 Maldives: Civil society groups call for better respect for civic freedoms in report to the UN Civil society groups CIVICUS and FORUM-ASIA have submitted information to the UN Human Rights Council on civic freedoms in the country ahead of its review in 2020. While welcoming the human rights improvements undertaken by the [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 22 October 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA) and the undersigned civil society organisations strongly condemn the ‘temporary’ suspension of the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN),[1] a leading human rights organisation in the Maldives and a member of FORUM-ASIA. We call on the Government of the Maldives to immediately revoke the [ Read more ]

The submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the Maldives is prepared by FORUM-ASIA, and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS). The submission examines the Government of the Republic of the Maldives’ compliance with its international human rights obligations to create and maintain a safe and enabling environment for civil society. It [ Read more ]

PRESS RELEASE 9 October 2019 The Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) was established in response to the mass arrest of approximately 300 people on 12 and 13 August 2004, to assist the families of those who were arbitrarily detained and tortured. Since MDN’s inception, this organisation works on issues of public concern, in light of its [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 8 October 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASA), together with undersigned civil society organisations, condemns the persecution of its member, the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), and expresses great concern about what potential consequences the recent accusations of blasphemy could have for the staff and members of MDN. Rather than [ Read more ]