<p>As Cambodia considers joining other Southeast Asian countries in declaring a state of emergency in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, regional MPs today warned governments against using the crisis to crack down on critics, assert their power and threaten democratic institutions.</p>

<p>As governments in Southeast Asia increase measures in response to the spread of coronavirus, regional lawmakers have today urged authorities to ensure that human rights are at the forefront of their responses.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Regional lawmakers today urged Myanmar&#39;s military, the Tatmadaw, and the Arakan Army (AA) to protect civilians from ongoing fighting in Rakhine and Chin states, end all violations of human rights and humanitarian law, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Regional lawmakers expressed extreme disappointment at today&rsquo;s decision by Thailand&rsquo;s Constitutional Court to <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8375">dissolve</a> the Future Forward Party (FWP), calling on authorities in the country to end their harassment of pro-democracy and opposition groups.</p>

<p>Regional lawmakers have today called on authorities in Southeast Asia to stop using broadly worded anti-fake news laws to prosecute those accused of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus health emergency, and instead invest in public messaging campaigns to ensure their citizens are reliably informed about the issue.</p>

<p>As the deadline for the submission of countries&rsquo; climate change action plans to the Paris agreement (NDCs) draws to a close, regional lawmakers urge ASEAN member states to review their climate ambitions</p>

<p>As the COP25 drew to a close, regional lawmakers today <a href="https://aseanmp.org/2019/12/13/failure-climate-ambition-cop25/">denounced</a> the failure of any ASEAN government to join the&nbsp;<a href="https://cop25.cl/#/cop-news/6uwx6gJHfSFV5TdOF6r9">alliance</a>&nbsp;of nations who intend to submit enhanced climate action plans for 2020 and urged their leaders to do so as a matter of urgency.</p>

<p>ASEAN lawmakers urged regional governments today to do more to protect migrant workers and refugees, arguing that all members of the ASEAN community are entitled to basic rights and deserve to have their dignity and humanity respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia today deplored the undemocratic process leading up to this Sunday’s referendum on a new constitution in Thailand, raising concerns over harassment, arrests, and intimidation of those seeking to campaign against the draft charter.</p>

<p>JAKARTA, 25 April 2016 — Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia have expressed deep concerns about Thailand’s new draft constitution, as well as a planned referendum on the charter, highlighting an apparent effort by the military government to strengthen and prolong its control over Thai politics and stifle open debate.</p>

<p>As the Lower House of Parliament convenes after the dramatic purge of speaker Shwe Mann, it has wasted no time&nbsp;<a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=72826759&amp;msgid=907202&amp;act=98NZ&amp;c=348258&amp;destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irrawaddy.org%2Felection%2Fnews%2Fburma-parliament-approves-contentious-race-and-religion-bills">passing two laws</a>&nbsp;that form the package of discriminatory protection of race and religion bills.</p>

<div>JAKARTA, 14 July 2015 – The Cambodian National Assembly’s passage of the highly controversial Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organizations (LANGO) represents a grave threat to independent civil society and constitutes a failure of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to embrace a democratic, consultative approach to policymaking, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>“The ruling party’s decision to ram this legislation through the National Assembly undermines the fundamentals of a multiparty democratic system,” said APHR Chair </div>