Pakistan: 47 Human Rights Organisations Across Asia Strongly Condemn the Killing of Human Rights Defender Mr. Rashid Rehman

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), together with its 47 member organisations from Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Timor Leste, strongly condemn the killing of Mr. Rashid Rehman, a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Pakistan and the Multan Task Force  Coordinator of FORUM-ASIA’s member organisation in Pakistan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Mr. Rehman was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Multan, Pakistan on 7 May 2014. The gunmen entered his office and opened fire indiscriminately, resulting in his death and severely injuring two of his associates. Mr. Rehman had received threats over his defence of a professor of a university against charges of blasphemy. Mr. Rehman’s organistaion, HRCP, has repeatedly warned of reprisals against Mr. Rehman and threats he was receiving. HRCP had particularly pointed out that the opposing counsel in the said blasphemy case had made threats in the presence of the judge. Despite this, he was denied any protection by the security personnel.

There has been an extremely worrying trend of steep deterioration in the security of human rights defenders in Pakistan over the last fewyears. The Government’s inaction and unwillingness to address attacks by extreme forces and non-state actors has severely compromised the security of human rights defenders.

Journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders working on issues such as democratic space, blasphemy and human rights violations by security forces are particularly targeted. The growing intolerance towards dissent and rising impunity has created a climate of fear, making it impossible for human rights defenders to carry out their legitimate work.  Earlier this month a senior journalist was shot by unidentified men.

Pakistan has long faced breakdowns in its democratic institutions and processes. If the media and human rights defenders are unable to contribute towards building a tolerant society, any progress that has been made will only be reversed.

FORUM-ASIA and its member organisations thus urge the Government of Pakistan to immediately investigate into the killing of Mr. Rehman and ensure that all those involved are held fully accountable with the full force of law. The Government must also take immediate and concrete measures to ensure an end to attacks on human rights defenders with impunity.

Released by:
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), on behalf its following member organisations:

Bangladesh

ASK – Ain O Salish Kendra
MLAA – Madaripur Legal Aid Association
Odhikar
RIC – Resource Integration Center

Burma

HREIB – Human Rights Education Institute of Burma

Cambodia

ADHOC – Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association
LICADHO – Cambodia League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights

India

ADHIKAR – Center for Social Action Documentation Research & Training
Dalit Foundation
FARR – Friends’ Association for Rural Reconstruction
MASUM – Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
PW – People’s Watch
PVCHR – People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights
RDS-LRSA – Rural Development Society
SICHREM – South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring

Indonesia

AJI – The Alliance of Independent Journalists Indonesia
HRWG – Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy – Human Rights Working Group
IMPARSIAL – Inisiatif Masyarakat Partisipatif untuk Transisi Berkeadilan
KontraS – The Federation of Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence
PBHI – Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association
SAMIN – Yayasan Sekretariat Anak Merdeka Indonesia
YLBHI – Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation

Malaysia

ERA Consumers – Education and Research Association for Consumers
SUARAM – Suara Rakyat Malaysia

Mongolia

CHRD – Center for Human Rights and Development
GI – Globe International

Nepal

CSRC – Community Self Reliance Centre
INSEC – Informal Sector Service Center
WWS – Women’s Welfare Society

Pakistan

B4A – Bytes for All (ICTs for development, democracy and social justice)
HRCP – Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
NCJP – National Commission for Justice and Peace
PODA – Potahar Organization for Development Advocacy
SPARC – Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child

Philippines

PAHRA – Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates
PLRC – PILIPINA Legal Resources Center
TFDP – Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
Tanggol-Kalikasan – Public Interest Environmental Law Office

Singapore

Think Centre

South Korea

KHIS – Korean House for International Solidarity
PSPD – People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy

Sri Lanka

INFORM – Information Monitor
LST – Law and Society Trust

Taiwan

TAHR – Taiwan Association for Human Rights

Thailand

People’s Empowerment

Timor Leste

HAK Association – Perkumpulan Hukum, Hak Asasi dan Keadilan (Law, Basic Rights, and Justice Foundation)
JSMP – Judicial System Monitoring Programme

For further inquiries, please contact:
Bangkok:
Gayatri Khandhadai, South Asia Programme Officer, gayatri@forum-asia.org, +66(0) 906538263
John Liu, South & East Asia Programme Manager, johnliu@forum-asia.org, +66(0)802828610

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