REPORT LAUNCH Parliamentarians at Risk: Reprisals against opposition MPs in Southeast Asia in 2022

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Dear members of the press,

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) is honored to invite you to the launch of APHR’s latest report, “Parliamentarians At Risk: Reprisals against opposition MPs in Southeast Asia in 2022”.

The press conference will be held at the Tiga Puluh, Ground Floor, Le Meridien Hotel in Central Jakarta, Indonesia on Saturday, 4 March 2023 at 11:15 am Jakarta time (UTC+7) and will be streamed live via Zoom and on APHR’s Facebook page.

Speakers at the launch include:

  • Hon. Mr. Nay Myo Htet, Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Financial Affairs Committee, Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), Myanmar
  • Hon. Arlene Brosas, APHR Member and Member of Parliament, the Philippines
  • Hon. Kunthida Rungruengkiat, APHR Member and Former Member of Parliament, Thailand
  • Hon. Mu Sochua, APHR Board Member and Former Member of Parliament, Cambodia
  • Hon. Wong Chen, APHR Member and Member of Parliament, Malaysia

Globally, parliamentarians’ right to freedom of expression is increasingly being restricted and members of parliament (MPs)  are facing greater risk of reprisals simply for exercising their mandate or freely expressing themselves. Southeast Asia follows the same trend. APHR has documented the increasing threats faced by MPs in the region. In the aftermath of the coup in February 2021, Myanmar is by far, the worst case, with 84 representatives jailed and a former MP executed last year, as the military junta established after the takeover employs increasingly brutal methods in order to stamp out opposition to its rule.

Elsewhere in the region, particularly in Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, cases of physical attacks remain rare, but governments often resort to politically motivated charges against opposition parliamentarians. Reprisals and threats are not only of a judicial nature. MPs also report facing online harassment, and being the victims of both disinformation campaigns as well as hate speech. 

These attacks on MPs have significant consequences; for the individuals themselves who face threats to their right to liberty and physical integrity as well as to society as a whole. By creating a climate of fear among parliamentarians, such attacks also threaten the very foundation of a healthy democracy and contribute to the shrinking of civic space. 

Because of this, APHR wants to shine a light on the continued threats to MPs across the region and urge governments, as well as ASEAN and the international community, to take action to protect MPs through the launch of the Parliamentarians At Risk report.

We look forward to your attendance at the report launch.

For more information, please contact Carlos Sardiña Galache at carlos@aseanmp.org or Karina Maharani T. at karina@aseanmp.org or +62 815 1007 6613.

Position: Co -Founder of ENGAGE,a new social venture for the promotion of volunteerism and service and Ideator of Sharing4Good

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