At the 2021 Gwangju Democracy Forum, the panel will highlight how freedom of expression has become important in the struggle to enlarge the democratic space in Southeast Asia. Throughout 2020 and into early 2021, most countries in Southeast Asia have seen a steady decrease in their freedom of expression. Actions taken by governments and political […]
Across Southeast Asia freedoms of expression have been backsliding, Timor-Leste has not escaped this regression. While the Constitution has rights guarantees, national laws however are inconsistent with the Constitution and the international standards to which it subscribes. With gaps that may lead to litigation or censorship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has proposed a […]
SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/3vYuXYl Abstract: Timor-Leste: Internet Freedoms Under Threat analyses the state of internet freedoms against the background of emerging national legislation pertaining to online content and privacy of data. With the rise in internet and social media usage, the scrutiny of government figures on the digital platforms has resulted in a push for […]
On 20 August 2021, Asia Centre will release a baseline study, "Infodemic" and SDGs: Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia, that evaluates the progress made towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 9.C (Access and Affordability of Internet) and SDG 16.10 (Fundamental Freedoms and Access to Information) and its impact on internet freedoms. The study […]
Abstract Cambodia’s plan for a “National Internet Gateway” (NIG) in 2021, is the apex of internet censorship legislation. It is a “firewall” that observes internet traffic nationwide. The NIG would provide the government with the ability to effectively monitor and control all domestic information and communications in the nation through a single choke-point. Over the […]
Overview COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, following the first infections detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Since then, the number of infected cases and death rates have increased exponentially. Governments have introduced emergency and temporary laws, placed their citizens and residents within their jurisdictions under lockdowns, implemented stay-at-home orders, enforced […]
Abstract On 31st of July, following the LAWAN demonstration held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the police released a series of photos asking the public to share any information they had on these individuals in the pictures. One veteran journalist who worked the crime desk of a prominent local daily participated in sharing that information. The […]
Abstract: Governments in Southeast Asia often proclaim that they promote and protect racial and religious harmony through their domestic laws. On occasions they even insist that these laws are aligned with international standards. However, in reality, evidence from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and Committee on Racial Discrimination (CERD) suggests otherwise. When challenged, government representatives […]
About the Event: Oxfam International and Asia Centre are bringing together experts from Asia and elsewhere to explore how vaccine inequality is worsening and fuelling other forms of inequality in Asia. The webinar is part of Oxfam International and Asia Centre’s Journalism for an Equitable Asia project, which aims to increase public awareness and support […]
OverviewHuman Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, as the date marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDH) in 1948. The UNDR stipulates a certain set of basic human rights for all people to be protected and promoted. These rights are as relevant to us today as they were […]
OverviewAs of 2021, in Southeast Asia, Thailand is the only country that has published the national action plans (NAPs) on business and human rights; while Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines have either expressed their intention or have undertaken necessary steps to develop their NAPs. This event, convened to mark the launch of a new report, will […]
As COVID-19 spread across Asia, harrowing scenes of overflowing hospitals and queues for funeral services in some of the region’s most populous countries shocked the world. However, even before the massive uptake in COVID-19 deaths in Asia in 2021, the 1.2 billion Asians struggling in or on the brink of poverty were grappling with an […]
Hear from the journalists who wrote the 10 top stories selected by the panel judges from 150 submissions from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand and Vietnam. These journalists delivered high-quality articles on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives and livelihoods of disadvantaged groups including women, ethnic, religious and gender minorities, migrants, and informal workers.
Social media has become an important campaign tool in the 2022 Philippines Presidential Elections. Despite the campaign only officially kicking off on 8 February 2022, social media was already used in the run up to nominations in late 2021. Just days before the kick-off, on 3 February 2022, Philippines lawmakers approved the ‘Subscriber Identity Module […]
Date: 17 June 2022Time: 8.30 AM – 5:45 PM (Bangkok, Thailand GMT+7)Venue: Radisson Blu Plaza BangkokSign up here: https://forms.gle/kYMA4JDs6e99TxrUAContact: contact@asiacentre.org The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) elevated their relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” in 2020. Since then, the Corona and other major challenges have arisen, most notably the war in Ukraine and […]
OverviewThis conference will assess the state of freedom of expression in Asia in the aftermath of the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the back of rising autocracy, academic, press and internet freedoms have been severely affected. National governments, in trying to deal with the pandemic, securitised health responses and introduced fake news legislation or […]
“Youth and Disinformation in Malaysia: Strengthening Electoral Integrity” identifies the potential risks from disinformation that youths are likely to face in the 15th General Election (GE15) to be held latest by September 2023. A review of media reports and studies that referenced the last 5 general elections from 1999-2018, revealed 5 recurring patterns of disinformation. […]
In Asia, as elsewhere, crimes against female journalists include physical attacks, harassment, abuses, and other gender-based violence. However, often complaints into these crimes against female journalists are not properly investigated and prosecuted. This has given rise to impunity, spiking even more attacks on female journalists. The result is a climate of fear among female media […]
Digital rights in Thailand are in jeopardy as the country has introduced different legislations to restrict the use of the internet. This trend has also become prevalent in other Southeast Asian countries. To discuss the suppression of digital rights in the region, Asia Centre, in partnership with EngageMedia, is hosting the “Asia-Pacific Digital Rights Forum” […]
As Thailand’s general election is approaching, there have been concerns whether the next government would ensure citizen participation and set a fertile ground for democracy to prosper once again after the long suspension. Such concerns stem from the fact that in the past years, the government has used laws such as the Computer Crime Act […]
Click here to Register Internet Freedoms in Malaysia: Regulating Online Discourse on Race, Religion, and Royalty analyses how Malaysia’s legal provisions impact online discussions of the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) that question the special position of the Malays, Islam and the Monarchy. The report explains that Malaysia’s restrictive legal provisions inherited from the colonial […]
Asia Centre and Oxfam in Asia welcomes prospective young leaders with keen interests to work on issues related to climate justice, gender rights and strengthening civic rights to apply for "Oxfam Young Leaders Fellowship Programme 2023"!
State-Sponsored Online Disinformation: Impact On Electoral Integrity In Thailand examines information operations by government agencies and their impact on the integrity of elections in Thailand. The 2023 General Election has been scheduled for 14 May amid uncertainties and challenges in the electoral process. To that mix, state-sponsored information operations, both domestic and foreign, are expected […]
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 the tight policing of political expression both offline and online. […]
FNF, in partnership with Asia Centre, is organising a hackathon to allow young leaders to pitch initiatives to improve the relationship between the two blocs. 16 teams of 2 each from Southeast and East Asia will develop and present their project ideas to audiences. The winners of this regional hackathon will be invited to attend the FNF Annual Conference in Berlin, Germany to present their initiatives and discuss them with German policymakers.
Overview Amidst the growing climate of authoritarianism throughout the world, Asia continues to grapple with various challenges related to democratisation and political change. As countries in the region get into a post-pandemic election cycle, political party laws, election advertising laws, fake news laws and laws governing political donations continue to have a problematic impact on […]
The emergency measures imposed by governments across ASEAN during the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively impacted human rights and democracy in the region, leading to the shrinking of civic spaces and repression of civic space. Although most of these measures were publicly meant for public health and safety, government in practice used these to curb civic […]
Increased digitalization and internet penetration have led to the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, phishing scams, and breaches of privacy and personal data. As a result, governments have come up with a range of legal responses. However, these legal measures affect internet users and members of civil society and their ability to conduct their […]
The prominence of fact-checking has grown as a method to counteract the widespread sharing of unverified, misleading, and often harmful information and rhetoric online. Initially adopted by CSOs and media outlets, this practice was later embraced by social media platforms and governments, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the efficacy of “fact-checking” – as well […]
Background In Taiwan, the development of the digital sphere has introduced both opportunities and challenges. Notably, the challenge of disinformation originating from China has emerged as a significant threat, targeting political campaigns and engaging in information warfare to influence public opinion. Content moderation poses a dilemma, requiring a delicate balance between preserving freedom of speech […]