Juliette Rousselot

Nevertheless, the region also witnessed a few progressive developments.
We suggest a medium-term pragmatic approach that builds on these positive developments, and calls on authorities in retentionist countries to actively engage with civil society to ensure an open debate about the death penalty.

-> Women were affected by the imposition of the death penalty because of laws that were discriminatory on the basis of gender in Afghanistan, Brunei, and Iran. In Thailand, women were disproportionately affected by the imposition of the death penalty for drug-related offenses.

-> In most retentionist countries, the death penalty remains for offenses that don't meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” under intl law
-> New laws expanding the use of the death penalty were introduced or enacted in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, North Korea + Sri Lanka

-> Executions were reported in 11 countries, including in Myanmar, where judicial executions resumed after 34 years of a de facto moratorium.
-> In many countries, including China, Iran, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam, secrecy characterized the use of the death penalty.

We looked at developments in the 20 retentionist countries in Asia from 2020 to 2025. While there have been some glimmers of home in a few select countries, some countries took steps backward rather than forward.

Here are some of our key findings:

No progress towards the abolition of the death penalty in Asia, new report finds A new report released by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) on the 23rd World Day Against the Death Penalty shows that over the (…)

🚨 On the occasion of the 23rd World Day Against the #DeathPenalty, @fidh-official.bsky.social publishes a new report on Asia, where progress towards #abolition has come at a standstill. Read it here:

Interception of the Sumud Flotilla for Freedom The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) condemns the illegal interception of humanitarian boats in international waters, asserts that (…)

-> Two FIDH VPs have been illegally detained by Israeli armed forces for their participation in the flotilla
-> We demand their immediate release, along with that of all other participants
-> We call on all govts to take all necessary steps to protect their nationals

www.fidh.org/en/region/no...

Global Sumud Flotilla's activist have been kidnapped. Among them, 2 of our own Vice Presidents. We ask for their immediate release.

🚨The peaceful Global Sumud Flotilla has been illegally intercepted. Among the activists arrested, 2 of our own Vice Presidents.

🚨We call for their immediate release.

Les activistes de la Global Sumud Flotilla ont été arrêtés. Parmi eux, deux de nos vice-présidents. Nous demandons leur libération immédiate.

🚨La Global Sumud Flotilla a été illégalement intercepté par Israel. Parmi les activistes arrêtés, deux de nos vice-présidents.

🚨Nous demandons leur remise en liberté immédiate.

Save the International Criminal Court and the rule of law Reliable sources indicate that the United States (US) plans to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution in the coming (…)

Reliable sources indicate the US plans to sanction the #ICC as an institution.

Such sanctions would be an all-out assault on international justice, leaving victims without a last resort for accountability.

Read the full statement here: www.fidh.org/en/issues/in...

EU’s New India Strategy Overlooks Modi’s Repression The European Union unveiled its “New Strategic EU-India Agenda” this week, setting out a range of areas for closer bilateral cooperation. Unfortunately it deliberately overlooks India’s deepening righ...

#EU: new #India strategy, same old silence on repression

EU leaders should reflect on long-term cost of overlooking #Modi's authoritarian drift, link closer ties to rights progress: hrw.org/news/2025/09... #EUIndia

@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @kajakallas.bsky.social

Nepal: Protesters Demand Integrity, Rights, Rule of Law All stakeholders in Nepal should publicly commit to uphold the rule of law and international human rights obligations as an interim government headed by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki takes charge...

#Nepal: @fidh-official.bsky.social, HRW, Amnesty & ICJ call on all stakeholders to publicly commit to uphold the rule of law and international human rights obligations as an interim government takes charge following deadly violence www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

[Joint Statement] NEPAL: Ensure accountability for protest crackdown, halt digital repression and police excess - FORUM-ASIA KATHMANDU, Nepal (9 September 2025) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and civil society partners from Nepal condemn th...

#Nepal: @fidh-official.bsky.social joins #FORUMAsia and others to call on the government to ensure accountability for protest crackdown, to halt digital repression and put a stop to police excesses that have resulted in the deaths of at least 19 people
forum-asia.org/nepal-protes...

19 dead in Gen Z protests across Nepal Hundreds injured as police open fire; curfews imposed in multiple cities.

#Nepal: today police officers opened fire on protesters, killing 19 people; hundreds have been injured. kathmandupost.com/national/202...

FIDH Denounces Heinous US Sanctions Against Leading Palestinian Human Rights Organisations The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) denounces in the strongest terms the heinous designations imposed by the United States on (…)

Just more insanity ...

EU-China summit is underway in Beijing.

In this thread I will collate interesting points from remarks and readouts through the day.

First, Xi Jinping's opening remarks, as run by CCTV this morning

news.cctv.cn/2025/07/24/A...

China: EU must prioritise human rights in the forthcoming Summit The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory (…)

#EU/#China: as @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu & @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu prepare to meet their Chinese counterpart during the EU-China summit in Beijing tomorrow, @fidh-official.bsky.social & partners urge them to discuss the #humanrights crisis in China www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

The report focuses on the situation of the rights of persons with disabilities in the DPRK, with an emphasis on the following issues: equality & non-discrimination; awareness-raising; accessibility, living independently, & mobility; access to justice; education & health; implementation & monitoring.

North Korea: Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities On 4 July 2025, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its partner organisation Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (…)

#NorthKorea: today we & our partner org NKDB submitted a joint report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which will examine the DPRK’s initial state report under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 12.08.25. www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

Glad @kajakallas.bsky.social raised human rights in #China.
@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu & @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu should follow suit at summit

But beyond words, the EU needs a bold strategy to address Beijing’s assault on rights - and to fix its own record, as credibility is faltering

South Korea: Newly elected President must address human rights issues raised in survey The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) thank the four main presidential candidates (…)

#SouthKorea: we call on the newly elected President to address human rights issues raised in the survey we sent to all candidates ahead of the elections www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

Vietnam ends death penalty for crimes against the state, bribery, drugs The death sentence has been removed from eight criminal offences and replaced with life imprisonment for offenders.

#Vietnam: the National Assembly just approved an amendment to the Criminal Code that abolishes the #deathpenalty for 8 criminal offenses - this is a major step in the right direction www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/...

Civilians in Iran and Israel are once again bearing the brunt of these attacks. This aggression, emboldened by Israel’s impunity, overshadows Israel’s continued international crimes against Palestinians, including genocide in Gaza and colonial violence in the West Bank.

Israel/Iran: immediately de-escalate conflict, protect civilians The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation the League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) are (…)

#Israel / #Iran: Deeply alarmed by the latest military escalation, we strongly condemn Israel’s aggression and use of armed force against Iran in breach of international law and the UN Charter as well as the targeting of the civilian population in Iran and Israel.

www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

India: International human rights groups reiterate call for release of Khurram Parvez on his birthday The undersigned human rights organisations, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against (…)

#Kashmir / #India: our friend & colleague #KhurramParvez is spending his birthday in prison tomorrow, the 4th time he'll be "celebrating" while in arbitrary, pre-trial detention - enough is enough. www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

Bangladesh: Extend the Mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to Ensure Truth and Accountability We, the undersigned international human rights organizations, urge the Interim Government of Bangladesh to extend the mandate of the Commission of (…)

#Bangladesh: @fidh-official.bsky.social joins 15 other #humanrights orgs to call on the Interim Govt to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance - this is the only way to ensure truth and accountability!
www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

Labour Exploitation study: Data and Report Backup for China Labour Bulletin On the 12th June of 2025, an NGO in Hong Kong stopped its operation. This organization focuses on the labor rights in China. This project aims to preserve its data and reports, for my further study. ...

Backup data for the China Labour Bulletin（中国劳工通讯）.

Go to “Files” and you will find downloadable datasets and the data description.

osf.io/ajw37/?view_...

China Labour Bulletin just dissolved on 12th June 2025. It’s an NGO based in Hong Kong.

#CLB #中国劳工通讯

China Labour Bulletin dissolves after 3 decades, cites financial woes Hong Kong-based NGO China Labour Bulletin has announced its decision to dissolve citing difficulties with finances and debt.

#China/#HongKong: China Labour Bulletin, a member organization of @fidh-official.bsky.social, announces dissolution hongkongfp.com/2025/06/13/h...

FIDH recommendations to the European Union regarding the new strategic EU-India agenda On 8 May 2025, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) submitted recommendations to the European Union (EU) regarding the forthcoming (…)

And this was our concrete (and realistic!) input for the Strategic Agenda: www.fidh.org/en/region/as...

India: NGOs call on the European Union to take action on urgent human rights concerns Ahead of the College of Commissioners’ visit to India on 27 and 28 February 2025, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and 11 (…)

Reminder: here is what we told the EU in February before Von Der Leyen went to India: www.fidh.org/en/region/as...