Asia
We work alongside local and international organizations and human rights defenders to protect civic space and promote accountability for serious human rights violations in South and South East Asia. From advocating for freedom of expression and the right to protest to an end to the use of torture, enforced disappearance, and arbitrary detention, we support international justice efforts.
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Letter to Chief Adviser Yunus: Follow-up on Human Rights CSO Meeting during UNGA 2025
Tags Share H.E. Prof. Muhammad YunusChief Adviser, Interim Government of BangladeshDhaka, Bangladesh Re: Follow-up on Human Rights CSO Meeting during UNGA 2025 Dear Chief Adviser Yunus: We write to express our deep appreciation to you for meeting with our group of international human rights organizations during the U.N. General Assembly to discuss the human rights
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National Post: The Iranian regime is on the ropes. Canada can help knock it out
Human rights activist Reza Khandan remains imprisoned for advocating for the end of Iran’s mandatory hijab laws.
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Iran International: Iran bars jailed activist’s wife visits over hijab refusal, inmates say
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and partners have filed a petition and urgent action request with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding the unlawful and life-threatening detention of Iranian human rights activist Reza Khandan
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Human Rights Groups Petition UN on Behalf of Prominent Iranian Human Rights Defender Reza Khandan
Tags Share Washington, D.C. / New York / Montreal – October 9, 2025 — Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, PEN America, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights have filed a petition and urgent action request with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) over the unlawful imprisonment of Iranian human rights
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U.N. Rohingya Conference Must Spark Concrete Action
Tags Share As the Rohingya community faces compounding crises, this week’s U.N. High-level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar was held at a critical moment. The Rohingya, who are one of the most persecuted communities in the world, face existential threats, including international crimes by the Myanmar military and
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Joint Statement: 8 Years On: Accountability needed for Myanmar atrocities against Rohingya
Tags Share August 25, 2025, marks eight years since the Myanmar military and authorities launched widespread atrocities against the Rohingya population in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Starting in August 2017, Myanmar security forces razed several hundred Rohingya villages and killed Rohingya women, men, and children throughout northern Rakhine State, forcing at least 700,000 to flee to
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RFKHR Visit to RAB Secret Detention Site Underscores the Need for Further Accountability and Reform Efforts
Tags Share One year after the July Revolution, Bangladesh’s Interim Government should urgently act to provide meaningful redress to victims of enforced disappearances and other abuses and engage in security sector reform. For eight years, a lawyer named Mir Ahmad BinQuasem, known as Arman, was held by Bangladesh security forces in a secret detention site.
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The Financial Express: US congressional briefing highlights Bangladesh’s democratic transition, global engagement
Tags Share A high-level congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. brought together lawmakers, diplomats, scholars, and diaspora leaders to assess Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape following the 2024 pro-democracy uprising. Titled “Bangladesh 2.0: Democracy, Reform, and Global Engagement,” the session explored governance reforms, human rights, and relations between the U.S. and Bangladesh. Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’
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Daily Sun: US experts urge stronger Bangladesh ties amid state reform push
Tags Share At a Capitol Hill session titled “Bangladesh 2.0: Democracy, Reform, and Global Engagement,” experts gathered to reflect on the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh, where protesters demanding democratic reforms faced violent crackdowns. The event spotlighted the uprising’s lasting impact on Bangladesh’s political future and its role on the global stage. Catherine Cooper of
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Bangladesh: Extend the Mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to Ensure Truth and Accountability
Tags Share We, the undersigned international human rights organizations, urge the Interim Government of Bangladesh to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances until at least December 31, 2025. While the Commission’s mandate is set to expire on June 30, victims and their families deserve adequate time for the Commission to
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Bangladesh: The Interim Government Must Ensure the Ordinance on Enforced Disappearances Aligns with International Standards Following Robust Public Consultations
Tags Share We – the undersigned human rights organisations – express our serious concerns about Bangladesh’s draft Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Ordinance 2025. While it is critical to enact a law to hold perpetrators accountable for enforced disappearances, the current draft contains provisions that fail to adhere to international standards. The Interim Government took
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Dhaka Tribune: Rights Organizations Demand Transparent Digital Laws in Bangladesh
Tags Share On Tuesday, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Access Now, ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch, PEN International, and Tech Global Institute stated that Bangladesh is experiencing significant systemic and structural changes, including reforms to cybersecurity and data protection laws. The groups stated,”Acknowledging the interim government of Bangladesh’s timely and necessary efforts to reform digital
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