By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>Most red shirts still oppose congress headed by Prawase and Anand despite claim of 'transcending political divide'<br />
The three-day National Reform Congress concluded yesterday with its chairman Prawase Wasi boasting that the meeting, which drew some 2,000 participants, "transcended" political division and "united" people from all walks.</p>
By Reporters Without Borders |
<p>Reporters Without Borders regards the findings from the official investigation into Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto’s death during clashes between government forces and anti-government “Red Shirts” in Bangkok on 10 April 2010 as “utterly unsatisfactory.”</p>
By The Centre for Independent Journalism |
<p>The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia regrets that yet another reprimand was issued by the Home Ministry to the press, this time to “The Star”.</p>
By Amnesty International |
<p>Online calls for China to stage its own ‘Jasmine Revolution’ following protests in the Middle East and North Africa has prompted the heaviest wave of arrests of Chinese activists for several years, Amnesty International has said.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>It is hard not to become depressed and sad following the news of the natural calamity unfolding in Japan, with the earthquake, tsunami, the possible nuclear meltdown and heavy loss of life. Heartbreaking images keep flooding the media, laying bare the vicissitudes of life as the expected death toll rises towards 20,000.</p>
By The Centre for Independent Journalism |
<p>The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia welcomes the withdrawal of the case against blogger “Hassan Skodeng”, whose real name is Irwan Abdul Rahman, over a satirical post he made almost a year ago. While CIJ is pleased that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has dropped the case, which was discharged by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on 15 March 2011, it notes that there were no grounds for prosecution to begin with, which raises questions as to why the case was allowed to come this far.</p>
By International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) |
<p>Paris, 17 March 2011 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization, the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR), regret that Viet Nam has failed to cooperate in good faith with the United Nations Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Gay McDougall, in her country visit in July 2010. The Independent Expert presented her report of the visit to the Human Rights Council on 15 March 2011 and lamented the “obstacles that limited opportunities for unaccompanied meetings outside of the presence of Government officials.” (1)</p>
By European Court of Human Rights |
<p>In today’s Chamber judgment in the case <a href="http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?action=html&documentId=882829&portal=hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&table=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DEA398649">Otegi Mondragon v. Spain</a> (application no. 2034/07), which is not final<sup>1</sup>, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been:</p>
<p><strong>A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) </strong>of the European Convention on Human Rights.</p>
By International Commission of Jurists |
<p>On 11 March 2011, one day before the seventh anniversary of the enforced disappearance and presumed murder of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, the Court of Appeal issued a judgment (i) overturning the conviction of Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk due to insufficient evidence and (ii) denying the right of Angkhana Neelapaijit and her daughters to appeal the case to the Supreme Court as co-plaintiffs.<br />
</p>
By Forum Asia |
<p>A regional human rights organisation today condemned the terrorist attack apparently targeting on a leading liberal Islamic activist, Mr. Ulil Abshar Abdalla.</p>
By Asian Human Rights Commission |
<p>The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets, but is not surprised, that the five defendants who were earlier convicted for theft and illegal detention, in connection with the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, have all been exonerated in an Appeal verdict. The court ruled to acquit all the defendants on procedural and technical grounds.</p>
By Article 19 |
<p>London 16.03.11: Red shirt-affiliated website administrator Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul has been sentenced by a Thai court to 13 years in prison for posting content offending the royal family. ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned about the mounting clampdown on freedom of expression in Thailand, especially on the internet.</p>