Dhaka/Geneva, 25 June 2021: Odhikar and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) remember and pay tribute to victims of torture and stand in solidarity with the victims and their families on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (26 June). The institutionalised practice of custodial torture by the
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Sunday charged four members of the Mother Nature environmental movement with plotting an attack against the state and insulting the king, part of the targeted and outrageous persecution of frontline environmental defenders and grassroots activists by the government. Authorities should stop imprisoning and start listening to
First published on FAFEN's website on 11 May 2021. Calls for a broader public debate and political discourse on the meaningful electoral reforms to enhance representation and inclusivity ISLAMABAD, May 11, 2021: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has urged the government to desist from any haste in introducing the changes
3 May is World Press Freedom Day, as recognised by the United Nations. This year’s theme for World Press Freedom Day, “Information as a Public Good”, serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing reliable information as a public good. However, while this day is being commemorated all over the
Kabul: National Young Women Forum (NYWF) was established almost two years ago under the leadership of Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan, and since its very inception, the forum has worked to advocate women’s meaningful engagement in Afghanistan’s social and political processes. Now that the date for holding the Heart of Asia Summit
Transparency Maldives found in their observation of the Local Council and Women's Development Committee Elections on 10 April 2021 that the voting procedures were properly followed but COVID-19 risk mitigation strategies were not effectively enforced. TM trained and deployed 55 accredited observers who observed 34 polling stations in 29 islands across 19
First published on FAFEN's website on 11 April 2021. ISLAMABAD, April 11, 2021: NA-75 Sialkot-IV (Daska) by-election held on April 10, 2021 witnessed low incidences of electoral violations as procedures were generally transparent and election staff conducted the process with care and mostly in accordance with prescribed regulations. Political competition was heightened
First published on NAMFREL's Facebook Page on 17 March 2021. The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) wishes to congratulate the people of Palawan province for turning up to vote in the Palawan Plebiscite last Saturday, March 13, 2021. Despite the inclement weather and the ongoing pandemic, Palaweños trooped to the
First published on NAMFREL's Facebook Page on 13 March 2021. PRESS RELEASEMarch 13, 2021, 1pm The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) released its preliminary findings on the conduct of the 2021 Plebiscite, as observed by its volunteers who are currently stationed in different voting centers throughout Palawan. The preliminary observations
First published on the website of People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy on 9 March 2021. "Everything will be okay.” The phrase on the T-shirt of 19-year-old Kyal Sin, who was killed by a shot to the head on the streets of Mandalay as she joined anti-coup protests in Myanmar rings in our
According to article 14 of the amended election law, the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan managed to successfully elect its administrative board to wit: Head, Deputy Head, and Secretary, as a result Mr. Awrangzeb has been elected as the Head of IEC, Mr. Mawlana Abdullah as the Deputy Head of IEC, and
First published on FAFEN's website on 23 February 2021. ANFREL member in Pakistan, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), said they observed an improved quality of electoral processes during the by-elections held from 16-21 February 2021 in five provincial and three national assembly constituencies. FAFEN said the management of voting and
ANFREL member in Indonesia, the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perkumpulan untuk Pemilu dan Demokrasi | Perludem), published and launched the first edition of The Asia-Pacific Journal of Elections and Democracy on 17 February 2021. The journal is an off-shoot of their Journal of Elections and Democracy, a national publication, which expanded
Kabul-16, February 2021-for urgent release The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) expresses its deep concerns over IEC’s failure (wasting time) and delay to bring electoral reform. FEFA believes that wasting time or ignoring electoral reform will have negative impinge upon election process, building public trust on elections, gaining international
First published on MARUAH's website on February 11, 2021 MARUAH unequivocally condemns the military takeover of Myanmar on February 1, 2021. The Tatmadaw (military)overthrew the elected government of Myanmar, detained government leaders, civil service officers, activists, and human rights defenders, imposed a year-long Emergency on the country and has blocked intermittently access
Joint Statement by Domestic Election Observer Organizations January 29, 2021 There is a growing concern within the public that the electoral disputes over the results of the 2020 general elections and different electoral processes would cause post-election instability, the delay of the peaceful power transition, and even the country’s democratic transition to
Human rights group Odhikar released their 2020 report on the human rights violations including the state of the electoral system in Bangladesh. Odhikar said in the report that "the Awami League government and the Election Commission have completely destroyed the electoral system depriving the people of their right to vote in all
19 January 2021-Kabul The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) welcomes announcement of preparation of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) for conducting the parliamentary election in Ghazni, provincial council elections, district council elections, and municipality elections in major cities and support of government from this plan. FEFA believes conducting and
First published on FAFEN's website on 19 January 2020. ISLAMABAD, January 19, 2021: Despite COVID-19 associated challenges, the PS-52 Umer Kot-II by-elections witnessed an encouraging male and female turnout with low incidence of procedural violations indicating improved election management by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This was first by-election held after
18 January 2021 Kabul: IEC and the Afghan Government have agreed to hold a certain number of elections in the coming year at times when there is no suitable conditions for elections to take place. This is down to wide-spread insecurity as citizens even in Kabul and many other capital cities across
ANFREL member in Myanmar, the People's Action for Credible Elections (PACE) released two pre-election studies on migrant workers' perception of the 2020 Myanmar General Elections. The elections were held on 8 November 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PACE, with the Foundation for Education Development, conducted a survey with migrant workers from Feb.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is saddened by the passing of our dear friend Mohammad Yousuf Rasheed from Afghanistan. On the morning of 23 December, Rasheed was shot in Kabul by unidentified gunmen while he was commuting to his office. He was transported to a hospital where he passed away
Kabul 15 December 2020 The Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) welcomes government’s focus on peace which has been a long-standing dream of the Afghan nation and believes that peace is not only a priority for the national stakeholders but also for the international stakeholders of Afghanistan success of which
ANFREL member in Pakistan, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), released the preliminary election observation report of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections held on 15 November 2020. FAFEN said the Election Day was largely peaceful with no major incidents of violence reported from anywhere in the region throughout the day. E-Day was
First published on PACE's website on 9 November 2020. The People's Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE) said the election process in Myanmar was peaceful with no major incidents recorded. This is what PACE said in the preliminary findings of their observation of the 2020 Myanmar General Elections. PACE acknowledged the efforts of
ANFREL member in Myanmar, People's Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE), released the initial findings of their observation of the opening of polls in the 2020 Myanmar General Elections on 8 November 2020. PACE said they received isolated reports of observers not allowed to enter polling stations initially but was later resolved except
First published on PACE's website on 1 November 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the campaign period in Myanmar, according to the preliminary report of the election observation of the People's Alliance for Credible Elections - PACE. In Yangon and Rakhine where the stay-at-home order was enforced in the entire region
First published on CMEV's website on 5 October 2020. ANFREL member in Sri Lanka, Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), designed and published a booklet providing a glimpse into the nature of reporting carried out by mainstream newspapers during the election period in the country. CMEV said the media is a stakeholder
The level of interest in politics is on a downward trend since 2015, according to a pre-election survey the People's Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE) conducted. The survey was conducted between August 3 to 5, 2020 with a total of 2,577 interviews across the country. PACE noted that they were not able
First published on NAMFREL's Facebook Page on 25 September 2020. NAMFREL today emphasized the importance of holding the 2022 elections as scheduled, as mandated by the Philippine Constitution, despite the pandemic. This is in response to Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Mikey Arroyo's suggestion for the Comelec to consider postponing the 2022 elections.
