Human rights

Despite being granted refugee status by UNHCR, the court granted Y Quynh Bdap's extradition request from Hanoi. The activist has filed an appeal and a new asylum request with the Canadian embassy. The ambiguous attitude of Thailand, which opens its doors to temporary reception but is not a signatory to the UN Convention, offers no real guarantees.

Cambodia’s best-known independent journalist still active despite ongoing repression has been arrested. His posts on social media on environmental damage caused by stone quarries were probably the pretext used by the authorities to detain him on charges of causing “social disorder". Dara was also actively reporting on online scams by transnational crime syndicates employing people in slave-like conditions. He joins about a hundred political prisoners already in detention in Cambodia.

On trial behind closed doors are the leaders of the opposition movement Group 24, Sukhrob Zafare and Nasimdžon Šarifov. Having disappeared from Istanbul where they had been living in exile for ten years, the Prosecutor General announced last August that they were in a prison in the capital of Tajikistan. Banned as an ‘extremist association’ the organisation is not allowed to participate in any way in the political and social life of the country.

A petition filed by 37 death row inmates was rejected, but with a call to apply it only in ‘exceptional’ cases. The last execution dates back to 2020. Criticism from the Kuomintang, which calls the judges' verdict a “de facto abolition”. Amnesty International Taiwan speaks of a ‘step forward’ and asks the government to declare an official moratorium.

Identified as Ri and Kang, 39 and 43, they were helping other women escape to South Korea. Victims of trafficking to China, once sent back to North Korea they were killed after a public trial, confirmed by several sources.

The Taliban's repression of women's rights is even more evident for those of a different ethnic origin. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Turkmen live in the northern regions of Afghanistan, and no one is concerned with the defence of their rights, not least because of the frosty relations with Ashgabt.

The Home Minister claimed that all deaths in detention recorded since 2022 were due to health reasons. The Bar Council expressed concern over the claims and called for independent investigations. Between 2011 and 2021, 430 deaths in custody were recorded.

The country's Churches have been pushing for this measure to counter the problem of early marriages, often linked to abductions. “We hope the government will take further steps to criminalise forced religious conversions," the Bishops' Conference said.

Repression continues after Hun Sen relinquished power to his son, with ten environmentalists convicted of lèse-majesté and one of two remaining independent unions targeted by the authorities. The lack of charisma of the young heir seems to have be fuelling corruption and abuse of power.

The WUC has organised various events to honour the victims of China’s most violent crackdown against the Muslim minority. Activist denounces policies that result in “crimes against humanity and genocide.” No Muslims from Xinjiang has been allowed to join the Hajj. Sinicisation and re-education camps have been set up for the Eid holiday.

In a historic decision, Japan’s highest court rules in favour of victims. Almost 25,000 people with disabilities or chronic illnesses sterilised between 1948 and 1996 can now obtain compensation of almost US$ 20,000 each, but the real battle is for dignity.

An AsiaNews source recounts the life of Catholics. One million people, mostly economic migrants, celebrate their faith "in private". The bond with the universal Church and the hope of one day being able to gather and pray in a church. The Internet has strengthened community relations and facilitated attendance at services. A "long history" of "discreet" presence in the region.