ISLAMABAD, June 20, 2022: Election on a working day deterred a majority of voters from casting their ballots in NA-240 (Korangi Karachi-II) by-polls that largely remained orderly, but was overshadowed by two high-profile incidents of violence widely covered on national media, reports Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). According to FAFEN observers,
A junta-controlled court sentenced former Mandalay Region Chief Minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, second vice president and spokesperson of National League for Democracy (NLD), to 21 years in prison for five corruption charges. The ASEAN Special Envoy will not be allowed to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi on his second visit
We, the undersigned international democracy advocates, strongly denounce the Government of Bangladesh’s decision to deregister prominent human rights NGO Odhikar and express our unwavering solidarity with the group. In early June 2022, Bangladesh’s NGO Affairs Bureau under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office denied the group’s application for renewal of registration.
A junta court in Myanmar ruled that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Australian economist Sean Turnell and three former cabinet members to continue the trial on charges of violating the Official Secrets Law. In the coming weeks, the court will hear the defense arguments, including a
First published on COMFREL's website on 10 June 2022. Civil Society Organizations that have collaboratively deployed election observers to monitor the situation of the Commune/Sangkat Councils Election in the 5th mandate, which took place on 5 June 2022, have found election irregularities occurring during the polling process on the voting and counting
First published on COMFREL's website on 10 June 2022. During the campaign phase of the Commune /Sangkat Councils Election, 5th mandate 2022, the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) deployed Long-Term Observers in the Capital and provinces to monitor the electoral process. During this election campaign process, COMFREL observed
Myanmar junta-led courts rejected appeals by a deposed lawmaker and a prominent former activist to their death sentences on “terrorism” charges since last year’s coup. There are at least 115 people who have been sentenced to death in Myanmar since the coup. The executions typically take place within 45 days of a
Myanmar junta filed two more corruption charges against detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi while the junta court rejected her appeal against a five-year sentence for corruption handed down in April. The Myanmar military regime so far has filed 20 charges against Aung San Suu Kyi, including 13 corruption charges that
His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa,President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri LankaPresidential SecretariatColombo Dear Sir Let’s make the objective of the 21st Amendment, a reality While expressing our sincere appreciation of your agreeing to restore the Good Principles of Public Administration into the Constitution through the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, we
CMEV expresses its deep concern about the rapid deterioration of democracy and the rule of law in the country. Following the devastating violence in many parts of the country on May 09, 2022, CMEV has reports that the police investigations and arrests of perpetrators are taking place under political influence. It has
The local level election held today has been completed largely peacefully and successfully apart from few sporadic incidents. There was encouraging participation by people with disability, senior citizens and members of all community, and gender. Compared to the past, the parties, candidates and voters all were more patient and peaceful. Except in
May 12, 2022 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.The White HouseWashington, DC Re: Thailand’s abusive draft law on not-for-profit organizations Dear President Biden, We, the undersigned non-profit organizations, are writing to express our serious concerns regarding Thailand’s Draft Act on the Operations of Not-for-Profit Organizations, which the Thai Cabinet approved in principle on
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) congratulates the people of the Philippines for their mass participation in the 2022 National and Local Elections, domestic election observer groups including PPCRV, LENTE, and NAMFREL, media and civil society organizations for their contributions to an inclusive and transparent election landscape, as well as the
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is holding a press conference on Wednesday, 11 May 2022 at 9 a.m. (Manila time) to release the initial findings of its observation of the elections in the Philippines. The Philippines held national and local elections on 9 May 2022. ANFREL deployed teams of international
NAMFREL raises concern on reports it received stating that the public has been barred from entering voting centers to observe the closing of voting, and to take pictures of the posted Election Returns, which contain the results of the election for every polling place in the voting center. In addition, some NAMFREL
The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) continues to observe election day processes, with particular focus on the voting process of Vulnerable Sectors (Persons with Disability, Senior Citizens/Older Persons, Persons Deprived of Liberty/Detainees, and Indigenous Peoples) and the voting situation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). LENTE also continue
The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) released its preliminary observations on the conduct of the 2022 National and Local Elections, as observed by its volunteers who are currently onsite in different voting centers across the country. NAMFREL has tens of thousands of volunteers observing in voting centers nationwide for today's
More than 65.7 million registered voters in the Philippines are invited to cast their vote for the national and local elections on 9 May 2022. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) deployed election observation teams across the country to monitor the electoral process. Here are some photos that ANFREL observers have
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) will hold a joint press conference with the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists this Friday, 6 May 2022, about the human rights and democracy situation in Cambodia ahead of the Commune and Sangkat Council Elections. Cambodia
A Myanmar junta court convicted the former state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi for corruption and sentenced her to five years in prison. The European Union condemned the sentencing as “politically motivated” and “another step to dismantle the rule of law”. Aung San Suu Kyi had been sentenced to six years in
For Immediate ReleaseApril 26, 2022Seoul, South Korea The Asia Democracy Network (ADN) and its partner civil society organizations in Asia are deeply concerned regarding the economic crisis experienced by the people of Sri Lanka. We are deeply moved to see men and women struggling to find essential food including lifesaving medical items
On LENTE's plans for Election Day The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) has launched several initiatives with its partner organizations and monitoring projects to ensure Safe, Accountable, Transparent, and Inclusive elections this May 9, 2022. LENTE is among the civil society organizations that were convened by the Commission on Human Rights
First published on BERSIH's Facebook page The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) urges the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Anti-Hopping Law (AHL) to maximally inform and involve the public, so that the resultant bill would meet public expectation and necessary compromises would enjoy public support. BERSIH calls upon the
Myanmar military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing offered to meet with leaders of ethnic armed groups in person. He said through a brief broadcast from state-owned television that “2022 is the year of peace and that we will work for an end to all armed conflict”. The offer was not extended to
The discharge of the Commission on Elections’ duty under Section 2(1), Article IX-C of the Constitution and under the law to enforce and administer all laws relative to the conduct of elections for the purpose of ensuring free, orderly and honest elections does not escape public observation. The absence or lack of
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) launched today, 23 April 2022, its international election observation mission to the 2022 Philippine national and local elections with the deployment of six long-term observers and two electoral analysts. An additional four observers are expected to join the mission next week. ANFREL observers will be
The Myanmar military junta granted amnesty to 1,619 prisoners, including 42 foreigners, and announced their release to mark Myanmar's new year. It is unclear if political prisoners were included. According to media reports, no political protesters had been released so far from Insein Prison in Yangon. There was also no information about
The National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) said it has successfully completed 1,128 attacks on military junta targets in Yangon over the past seven months. Since NUG declared its war against the military junta, it attacked 443 administrative and 587 military targets and 98 military-owned businesses, killing 253 and injuring nearly 300.
MANDALUYONG CITY - The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) today said that it is encouraging all Filipinos to guard the election process in all its phases, from the pre-election period, to Election Day, to the post-election period. This is in line with NAMFREL's belief that all voters can be citizen
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released its assessment report on Hong Kong's latest electoral changes on 8 April 2022 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) in conjunction with a public screening of Hong Kong protest documentary film Revolution of Our Times. The report seeks to detail how the