Human Rights
Human rights defender organized by Forum Asia
Regional/International: Human Rights Watch has drafted a letter (http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/03/25/un-hold-competitive-voting-rights-body) asking UN Member States to adopt publicly national policies in favor of competition for the Human Rights Council elections, urging them to reject vote trading for the Council and not to disclose their voting intentions. If your organization is willing to sign the letter, please respond to Ms. Elizabeth Sepper at elizabeth.sepper@hrw.org by 6 August 2009.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has announced the opening of applications for the 13th Annual Training and Study Session for Asian Human Rights Defenders (ATSS), to take place in Bangkok from 18 to 30 October 2009. The session aims to strengthen human rights activists and train them to promote and cooperate with other organizations through Asia. For more information about the application or admission requirements, as well as application materials, please read from : (http://www.forum-asia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2285&Itemid=42)
Burma: The Movement for Democracy and Rights of Ethnic Nationalities issued a statement on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moonโs recent visit to Burma. The MDREN expressed its support for the Moonโs call for greater political freedom and the recognition of opposition party groups. The statement also notes, however, the severe limitations of the meeting because of the ruling juntaโs refusal to allow Mr. Moon to meet with opposition leaders, including political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.
In other news, sixty-nine civil society organizations and networks representing Burma and the Asia-Pacific region have demanded that ASEAN take firm action in response to Burmaโs continued non-compliance with the ASEAN Charter. These groups have called upon ASEAN to place Burmaโs lack of democratization and human rights abuses at the top of the agenda for the upcoming 15th ASEAN Summit in October 2009 in Thailand.
The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) and the Members of Parliament Union (Burma) have issued a statement expressing disappointment at the 30th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Executive Committeeโs decision to defer granting observer status to Burmaโs elected Parliamentarians. The groups stated that ASEANโs refusal to do so further undermined the effectiveness of elected representatives in Burma and has called upon ASEAN to respect the people of Burma and to hold Burmaโs military rulers accountable for their abuses.
Finally, for more Burma news, the Alternative Asean Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma) has issued its July 2009 Burma Bulletin, which contains a number of other Burma-related stories that have developed over the past month.
Cambodia: The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe has called upon the European Commission and Council demanding action to stand up for Cambodian opposition politicians, journalists and lawyers facing defamation charges for criticizing the governing authorities. This call comes after a UN Human Rights report which noted an increased use of defamation suits to silence opposition opinions in the country.
China: Reporters Without Borders issued a statement commemorating the 36th birthday of Hu Jia, a dissident imprisoned since December 2007 for his reporting about AIDS issues in China. The statement noted that Hu suffers from liver disease, but police have refused to give him treatment. The statement also reiterated its call for his immediate release.
In another story, Reporters Without Borders has also relayed a statement issued by several Chinese intellectuals calling for the release of Uyghur economist and blogger Ilham Tohti, who was arrested following the 5 July riots in Urumqi.
Philippines: The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication has issued a report claiming that violations of freedom of expression have increased during the tenure of current president Arroyo. The study cited the unexplained murder of journalists and increased numbers of libel cases as the biggest offenses of the administration.
Vietnam: The International Buddhist Information Bureau reported the arrest of monk Thich Vien Dinh, a prominent member of the banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. Authorities apprehended Dinh in Binh Dinh while he was traveling to attend the funeral of another senior UBCV, the late Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang.
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When: 7/2/2014
