From January 2022 to June 2023, challenges to human rights and democracy in Asia persisted, marked by recurrent repression and emerging trends in violations against human rights defenders (HRDs). Amid legal vacuums and accountability deficits among de facto authorities, HRDs stood as frontline champions of human rights and democratic values, facing various forms of attacks and harassment across the region.

Conflict zones and post-conflict areas, such as Myanmar, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and West Papua, remained particularly perilous for civil society actors, including HRDs. In these regions, heavy military presence and systematic repression exacerbated violations against HRDs, students, and media workers, despite diverse civilian populations advocating for autonomy and reduced military intervention. FORUM-ASIA’s Asian HRD Portal documented 1,181 cases of violations against HRDs from 22 Asian countries during this period, affecting 2,779 individuals, organizations, and communities. While these figures offer insights into the prevalent patterns of violations endured by HRDs, they do not capture the full extent of violations on the ground.

This joint analysis, documenting cases of violations against human rights defenders (HRDs) in Asia, with a focus on Indonesia, is a collaboration started in 2020 between the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).

It is important to note that throughout this report, there are differences in numbers of cases and numbers of HRDs affected, due to differences in documentation methodology. This analysis intends to present and examine the pattern of violations against HRDs and might not reflect the actual numbers of violations happening on the ground, which is likely higher than the cases documented here.

Read the full report here.