Civil and political rights
Freedom of expression
US House calls on Myanmar to release journalists
The US House of Representatives called nearly unanimously on Thursday (Dec 13) for the government of Myanmar to release Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were imprisoned one year ago in a landmark free speech case. Keep reading ...
Number of Journalists Jailed For Doing Job Near Record High: Report
A near-record number of journalists around the world are behind bars for their work, including two Reuters reporters whose imprisonment in Myanmar has drawn international criticism, according to a report released on Thursday. There were 251 journalists jailed for doing their jobs as of Dec. 1, the ...
Myanmar: EU mission assesses human rights and labour rights situation
A monitoring mission of experts from the European Commission and the European External Action Service visited Myanmar from 28 to 31 October. This follows deeply worrying developments highlighted in various United Nations reports, in particular as regards human rights violations in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan ...
Vietnam cyber law set for tough enforcement despite Google, Facebook pleas
Vietnam is preparing to strictly enforce a new cybersecurity law requiring global technology companies to set up local offices and store data locally despite pleas from Facebook, Google and other firms, a government document showed. Keep reading ...
Myanmar Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo await verdict
Two Reuters journalists who documented a massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are due to hear whether they will be jailed for violating a state secrets act. Keep reading ...
Cambodia blocks 17 media websites before vote
The government blocked access to independent media websites just hours before polling in the country’s controversial national election begins. Phos Sovann, director general of information and broadcasting at the Information Ministry, confirmed a total of 17 websites – including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia ...
What’s Behind Cambodia’s War on Fake News?
The government’s efforts to regulate fake news have raised concerns amid a wider campaign to suppress dissent as elections approach. Keep reading ...
Government hits back at UN human rights officials
Cambodian officials have accused two United Nations (UN) human rights experts of interfering in its internal affairs when they commented on the freedom of opinion and expression in the Kingdom and the media code of conduct for the July 29 national elections. Keep reading ...
U.S. raises concerns about Vietnam's proposed cybersecurity law
The United States has raised concerns with Vietnam about its proposed cybersecurity law, the U.S. Embassy said on Thursday, amid activists’ fears the new legislation will cause economic harm and crackdown on online dissent in the communist-ruled country. Keep reading ...
Myanmar Military Targets Other Ethnic Groups After Driving Rohingya Out
Myanmar’s military, fresh off a bloody campaign that drove most of the country’s Muslim Rohingya minority into neighboring Bangladesh, has launched a new offensive against the armed forces of an ethnic group along the northern border with China using helicopter gunships, jet fighters and heavy ...
