The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition is appalled and deeply saddened at the news of the murder of Sabeen Mahmud, Pakistani woman human rights defender. On Friday 24 April in Karachi, Sabeen Mahmud was shot by unidentified gunmen after leaving an event she hosted about the human rights situation in Balochistan. Sabeen’s friends told [ Read more ]

(Islamabad/Bangkok, 27 April 2015) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), together with its Pakistani member Bytes for All, strongly condemns the killing of Sabeen Mahmud. The groups also call on the government of Pakistan to ensure the protection of human rights defenders and bring perpetrators of the brutal murder of Sabeen [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 16 March 2015) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), expresses deep sadness and concern following the twin bomb blasts at Catholic churches during Sunday mass in Lahore yesterday (15 March) that resulted in the deaths of 15 worshippers and scores of others injured. These attacks – responsibility for which was [ Read more ]

Oral Statement Delivered by Gayathry Venkiteswaran on behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)   Wednesday, 11 June 2014   Thank you Mr. President. FORUM-ASIA welcomes the reports of the two Special Rapporteurs. Concerns identified by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and [ Read more ]

The UN Human Rights Council will hold its 26th regular session from 10 to 27 June 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. FORUM-ASIA interventions, statements and events during this session will appear on this page.   Oral Statements Panel Discussion on the safety of journalists (Human Rights Council decision 24/116) (11 June 2014) Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Geneva, 28 March 2014) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights group, has expressed concern over the lack of cooperation of a number of Asian states with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in 2013. The regional human rights group said this following [ Read more ]

Oral Statement Delivered by Ms. Naumana Suleman on Behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Thank you, Mr. President. FORUM-ASIA makes this statement with its member organisations in Pakistan: Bytes 4 All, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), Society for the Protection for the Rights [ Read more ]

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the brutal killing of seven non-governmental organization (NGO) workers in Pakistan. The regional human rights organization that represents 47 human rights organizations from 16 Asian countries including Pakistan urges the Government of Pakistan to take effective steps immediately to find the killers, bring them to [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 10 October 2012) Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemns the brutal attack on young human rights defender Malala Yousufzai in Pakistan. The regional human rights organization that represents 49 human rights organizations in 17 Asian countries urges the Government of Pakistan to take effective steps immediately to ensure the protection of [ Read more ]

The Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) expresses its appreciation for the passage of the National Commission for Human Rights Bill in Pakistan recently. Earlier passed by the National Assembly in December last year, the draft was further amended after its passage through the Senate. Now it requires only the formal signature [ Read more ]