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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BANGLADESH: Government must cease enforced disappearances, stop harassment of the victims’ families and hold perpetrators accountable
Tags Share Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Hong Kong/Kuala Lumpur/ Manila/ Melbourne/ Paris/ Washington, D.C.; 29 August 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are gravely concerned over the continued commission of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh and the denial of access to justice for the victims. The acts of enforced disappearance occur with impunity in Bangladesh and have become…
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Bangladesh: Joint Submissions for Universal Periodic Review Documenting Human Rights Violations Committed by the Government
Tags Share Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Bangladesh, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights alongside our partners have submitted the following reports. The first report was submitted together with Asian Legal Resource Center and Committee to Protect Journalists and the second report was submitted as part of a Bangladesh…
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Bangladesh: End Political Prosecution of Rights Leaders
Tags Share The Bangladesh authorities should cease their continued criminalization and harassment of Bangladesh human rights group, Odhikar, 21 human rights groups said today. Authorities should drop politically-motivated charges against Odhikar’s leaders, Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan. On August 10, 2013, Khan, secretary of Odhikar and a prominent human rights activist, was arbitrarily…
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UN expert group calls for release of Cambodian-American human rights activist after investigation
Tags Share The Associated Press notes Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ advocacy on behalf of Theary Seng, a Cambodian-American human rights activist who was arbitrarily detained in violation of international law.
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United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Demands Immediate and Unconditional Release of U.S./Cambodia Dual National And Human Rights Activist Theary Seng
Tags Share WASHINGTON, D.C. and GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Today, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (“Working Group”) published its judgment on its website that U.S./Cambodia dual national and human rights activist Theary Seng has been arbitrarily detained in violation of international law and demanded her immediate and unconditional release. Theary’s case was submitted…
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BANGLADESH: Accountability is a must for ending torture and impunity
Tags Share Bangkok/Dhaka/Geneva/ Hong Kong/ Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Melbourne/Washington, D.C.: 24 June 2023: On the occasion of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, we, the undersigned organisations, are extremely concerned over the ongoing use of torture and degrading treatment in Bangladesh by law-enforcement agencies and security forces, and the…
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UN Peacekeeping Chief Urged to Raise Rights Concerns in Bangladesh Visit
Tags Share Speaking with Voice of America, Angelita Baeyens urges the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix to “publicly and unequivocally state his concern” about rights abuses by Bangladesh’s security forces when he visits the south Asian country later this month.
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Bangladesh: Government must investigate all cases of enforced disappearance, stop acts of retaliation, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure the security of victims’ families
Tags Share Melbourne/ Hong Kong/ Manila/ Kuala Lumpur/ Bangkok/ Dhaka/ Geneva/ Paris/ Washington, D.C.; 25 May 2023: We, the undersigned organisations, are seriously concerned over the unabated enforced disappearances in Bangladesh amid the denial of access to justice for the victims. We also express our deep concern regarding the plight of the victims’ families, lack…
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Bangladesh: Stop Targeting Odhikar and Its Leadership
Tags Share Bangladeshi authorities must end reprisals against Odhikar and its leadership and respect the fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression. Those working to document and expose human rights violations should be able to conduct their important work without fear of harassment, intimidation, and reprisals. The case of human rights organization Odhikar is…
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Education as a Pathway to Reconciliation of Historical Harm: The Case of Korean Comfort Women
Tags Share In our most recent Human Rights Defender speaker series event, Dr. Jongwoo Han, President of the Korean War Veterans Digital Memorial Foundation, shared the history of comfort women during World War II, emphasizing education as an important way to heal historical harm and end conflict-related sexual violence. Lead educator Mona Al-Hayani, a history…
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Rights Groups Call on Bangladesh to Cease Harassment of Rozina Islam in Public Letter
Tags Share Sent by email Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan, MPMinister of Home AffairsPeople’s Republic of Bangladeshminister@mha.gov.bd Mr. Zahid Maleque, MPMinister of Health and Family WelfarePeople’s Republic of Bangladeshminister@mohfw.gov.bd Dear Ministers Khan and Maleque, We, the undersigned press freedom and human rights groups, write to seek your leadership in ensuring an immediate end to the harassment of…
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UN Rapporteurs Concerned over Harassment of Rights Groups in Bangladesh
Tags Share Angelita Baeyens, our VP of International Advocacy & Litigation, speaks with Voice of America about the harassment and intimidation of two well-known human rights groups in Bangladesh. She notes, “The persecution and criminalization of Odhikar executives, one of the most prestigious human rights organizations in the country, shows an intentional effort by the…
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