Stories that Matter

India: Restore the licence of Sabrang Trust, and Repeal FCRA 13 July 2016 5:40 pm (Bangkok/Kathmandu, 12 July 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the cancellation of the license of Sabrang Trust under the Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act (FCRA) of 2010 and urges the Ministry of Home Affairs of India to withdraw the cancellation order immediately. On 6 June 2016, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA license of Sabrang Trust, preventing it from receiving future foreign funds for its human rights work. Sabrang Trust is actively involved in seeking justice for the victims of communal violence in India, particularly for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots. Sabrang Trust’s FCRA licence was suspended for a period of 180 days starting from 9 September 2015. The Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act was enacted in 1976. Several amendments have been made since, cre

India: Stop the Use of Excessive Force against Protesters 14 July 2016 10:32 pm (Bangkok/Kathmandu, 14 July 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Jammu and Kashmir. Following the killing of a 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader on 8 July 2016, large-scale protests have led to deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), at least 36 people have been killed and about 1,500 injured. Local media has reported that most of the injured have suffered bullet and pellet wounds. Children, women and onlookers are also injured. The excessive use of force by security forces is reported to be such that even ambulances carrying the injured to hospitals have been attacked and patients prevented from medical treatment. Due to the impact of pellet guns, a large

Bangladesh : Uphold the Rule of Law to Fight Extremism 7 July 2016 10:56 am (Bangkok/Kathmandu, 7 July 2016) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the killing of 21 people at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 1 July 2016. At around 8:45 P.M., a group of armed assailants entered the bakery, and took the people present hostage, both Bangladeshis and foreign nationals. In the 12-hour siege that ensued, 21 hostages were killed, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one American and one Indian. This gruesome incident is indicative of a serious lacunae in Bangladesh ’s security architecture for the protection of life and liberty of the people . Violent extremism and militancy has been growing in the country for some time now. Writers, bloggers, journalists, academics and members of minority groups have been victims of such extremism. They have been