(Bangkok, 6 May 2024) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) supports the petition to cancel OceanaGold’s mining permit as filed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayombong alongside representatives of communities and civil society in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. FORUM-ASIA is in solidarity with the impacted communities and petitioners. The petition seeks for the cancellation of the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) granted to OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI), an Australian-Canadian gold and copper mining firm, citing multiple violations of national ..read more

(BANGKOK, Thailand, 3 May 2024)–Advocates came together to voice their concerns regarding Hong Kong’s new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), also known as ‘Article 23,’ urging the international community to consolidate efforts to publicly voice opposition against the passage of the new law and to convey their concerns to both the Chinese and Hong Kong Governments. On 2 May 2024, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asia Democracy Network, and Lady Liberty Hong Kong co-organised a webinar dissecting Article 23. Triggering significant domest ..read more

CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and (FORUM-ASIA) and Asia Democracy Network (ADN), call on the Hong Kong authorities to immediately comply with recommendations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on the case of human rights defender Chow Hang-Tung and to release her immediately and unconditionally. A year ago, the UN WGAD found the arrest and detention of Chow Hang-Tung arbitrary. Its opinion adopted on 1 May 2023 concluded that Chow Hang-Tung was targeted for her human rights work and that her deten ..read more

Thursday, 2 May 2024 08AM (BKK) | 10AM (TYO) | 11AM (MEL) Zoom Webinar (Registration Link) In March 2024, the government of Hong Kong, enacted a controversial national security law known as Article 23. This legislation significantly expands upon existing laws to cover offenses such as treason, sedition, state secrets, and trials held behind closed doors. The law, purportedly aimed at ensuring stability, has sparked widespread concerns regarding its potential erosion of civil liberties and further suppression of dissent. The origins of Article 23 trace back decades, with the initial attempt to ..read more

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 18 April 2024) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over India’s forthcoming six-week-long 2024 General Elections scheduled to begin on 19 April 2024. The troubling pattern of diminishing democratic freedoms has heightened assaults against human rights defenders (HRDs), journalists, civil society organisations (CSOs), and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This has also led to the widespread erosion of people’s freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly. Under the current leadership of the Bharatiya Janata P ..read more

The failure of States to pay their membership dues to the United Nations (UN) in full and on time is causing a financial liquidity crisis for the organisation. According to the UN Secretary-General, the UN faced the highest level of arrears in its history at the end of 2023, the impacts of which are being felt by victims and survivors of human rights violations and abuses. As of 15 April 2024, only 100 UN member States have paid their dues in full. Human rights groups call on all member States to pay their contributions in line with their legal obligations under the UN ..read more

This article was written by a woman human rights defender (WHRD) from Kachin State. She was among recipients of the 2023 Fellowship for Social Justice Leaders in Southeast Asia. Her name is not disclosed due to security reasons. All interviewees’ names have also been anonymized for the same reason.  Background Since the resumption of armed conflict between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) in 2011, over 100,000 people in Kachin State have been internally displaced. The ongoing conflict has ravaged Kachin State as well as  the northern regions of t ..read more

8 April 2024 The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Athan, RW Welfare Society, and Progressive Voice welcome the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar. While the adoption of the resolution by consensus represents an important step in further cementing the Myanmar military’s lack of legitimacy, the resolution falls short in key areas in addressing the ongoing atrocities and ensuring justice and accountability in Myanmar. The resolution, adopted by consensus at the end of the 55th regular session of the Human Rights Council (HR ..read more

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the arrests of three Hazara women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Afghanistan. The arrests happened amidst the Taliban’s ongoing gender apartheid and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. On 28 March 2024, the Taliban arrested and detained WHRDs Azada Rezaei, Nadia Rezaei,  and Elaha Rezaei  alongside their brother, Yahya Rezaei. Two of the sisters are minors. In 2022, their sister Tamana was also detained for 29 days. The Rezaeis’ whereabouts are currently unknown. Taliban representatives hav ..read more

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is delighted to announce the call for applications for the 2024 ASEAN Human Rights Advocacy Academy. The Academy is a capacity building platform for youth activists in Southeast Asia to gauge a strong understanding and skills to engage with the ASEAN Human Rights mechanism. Since 2005, FORUM-ASIA has been actively engaged in the development and strengthening of the ASEAN human rights mechanisms. Against the backdrop of a global shrinking civic-space due to the rise of authoritarianism and a lack of capacities for civil society to me ..read more