Download Full Report The increasing use of digital platforms for advocacy by women in Cambodia has been accompanied by a rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), a form of harassment perpetrated online. While all women and girls are at risk, those highly visible in the public sphere – such as women human rights defenders (WHRDs), Indigenous advocates, journalists, and civil society leaders – face heightened exposure. Despite its severity, TFGBV remains poorly documented in Cambodia. This report examines TFGBV targeting high-profile women in advocacy and argues that it is an extension of gender-based violence (GBV), sustained by patriarchal structures and…

Download Full Report Since the mid-2000s, the internet has shaped politics in the Asia-Pacific region. As internet and social media penetration increases, the risks for those using new technologies to advocate for public accountability have also increased. In 2022, the region accounted for 31% of global cyberattacks, with governments and proxies as key perpetrators. These attacks often target governments like Taiwan and in other jurisdictions, opposition politicians, civil society organisations and rights defenders. Methods of attack include digital surveillance, hacking and disinformation campaigns. Current mitigation efforts, such as VPNs and multi-factor authentication, are insufficient; and digital security is not prioritised…

Download Full Report Online Content Regulations in the Asia-Pacific: Limiting Civil Society’s Capacity to Hold Governments Accountable reviews laws enacted by governments in the Asia-Pacific region to regulate the online information sphere. These laws have been used to penalise content creators for incitement, defamation, or spreading fake news. At the same time, government authorities routinely order internet service providers and technology companies to block or remove online content considered sensitive or illegal. Some governments also impose internet shutdowns, particularly during politically sensitive periods, to control the flow of information. Trolling has emerged as a mainstream non-legal strategy to harass and…

Download Full Report Digital Security and Human Rights Defenders Landscape: Recommendations for NHRIs in the Asia-Pacific examines the challenges encountered by human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Asia-Pacific region within the context of the digital era, offering a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in safeguarding HRDs. In doing so, this report delves into the landscape of digital security threats arising from legal constraints, disruptions in internet accessibility, digital surveillance practices, and the proliferation of government-supported “cybertroops”. The examination of the initiatives implemented by NHRIs sheds light on their current institutional constraints. Recognising the critical…

Download Full Report Digital Security and Human Rights Defenders in the Asia-Pacific assesses the adoption of digital security tools and measures by changemakers in the region to address online threats that they currently face amid increasing state surveillance. The report highlights the various ways in which changemakers in the region have adopted to the threats: they are evaluating the security of their online infrastructure, increasing ownership of these infrastructures, and adopting secure software and work flows. Nonetheless, changemakers face varying obstacles in adopting online security measures, including complexity of the tools, limited adoption of these measures in the wider sector,…

Download Full Report The Bureaucratisation of Religion in Southeast Asia assess the role of regulatory and administrative framework related to religious manifestation in Southeast Asian countries to evaluate the impact they have on Freedom of Religion or Belief in the region. This report highlights five major features of bureaucratisation of religion in Southeast Asia, using the case examples of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand: 1) the creation of national religious frameworks and administrative structures to oversee religious affairs; 2) existence of quasi-governmental religious organisations to conduct religious outreach; 3) administrative frameworks for religious practices in order to shape the manifestation…

Download Full Report Strategic Development for SEAFORB Network: Needs Assessment Report analyses the environment of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) advocacy in Southeast Asia to outline the concerns and needs of FoRB advocates in the region. The report underscores the importance of a consolidated network at the regional level to coordinate strategies for addressing FoRB violations in Southeast Asia. It emphasises three core principles for strengthening the SEAFORB Network: 1) to serve as a FoRB-focused platform integrating human rights, 2) to be civil society-led and regionally aligned, and 3) to engage diverse stakeholders. The findings from the report informs…

Download Full Report Political Hate Sites in Singapore: Flourishing without Repercussions explains how hate sites and internet brigades seek to maliciously negate the criticism of public officials and policy in Singapore. Targets of hate sites include activists, bloggers, civil society organisations, independent media outlets and journalists, human rights lawyers, and opposition political parties and politicians. Singapore, a one-party dominated state, has regularly updated and passed new legislation that criminalises criticism of its public officials and policies, leaving only a narrow margin for expressing dissenting views within the established legal boundaries. As a result, the government can repress opposition voices through…

Download Full Report Burmanisation and Buddhisation: Accelerating the Decline of Religious Rights in Myanmar exposes the rapid decline of religious rights among minority communities following the 2021 military coup. Burmanisation and Buddhisation, two policies that have shaped Myanmar’s identity landscape since the colonial era, are now justified as a response to ensure national security and address the threat of terrorism. Under this response, minority ethno-religious communities are being targeted as subversive forces to be dealt with. This results in four key impacts. One, ethno-religious communities are targeted with violence and military attacks to silence their calls for autonomy. Two, religious…

Download Full Report State-Sponsored Online Disinformation: Impact On Electoral Integrity In Thailand examines government-backed disinformation campaigns, known as information operations, and assesses their impact on the integrity of elections. The report identifies the actions of key domestic and international state actors that contribute to the false information campaigns. Based on the evidence of the existence of information operations in Thailand and the absence of effective legal and non-legal measures to address them, the 2023 Thai General Election is expected to experience its share of state-sponsored disinformation over social media platforms. The report identifies four types of information operations in Thailand…