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Access the latest news, statements and facts released by APRRN, our members and partners
Urgent Statement on the Rohingya Crisis and the Need for Regional Protection
We express our deep concern over the ongoing Rohingya crisis and the lack of a comprehensive and coordinated regional response to protect refugees in Southeast Asia. As the situation continues to deteriorate, we call for immediate action from ASEAN, its member states, and the international community.
5 October 2024
APRRN calls on Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution to free children in Malaysia!
“While children are killed and maimed in Myanmar, Palestine, and other countries around the world, Malaysia keeps those who have fled locked up indefinitely for seeking safety in its territory. This is wrong and unacceptable and must be changed in law and practice.” APRRN’s Co-Secretary General, Hafsar Tameesuddin.
4 September 2024
Press Release: Immediate Global Attention Needed to Prevent Extermination of Rohingya in Arakan State, Myanmar (Burma)
The Rohingya people of Arakan State are caught in the violent conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military. Forced into a deadly power struggle, they face recruitment into fighting, displacement, hunger, and senseless violence. They continue to have their basic human rights violated on a daily basis. This crisis demands immediate and urgent global attention and action to prevent the extermination of the Rohingya people.
8 August 2024
Thailand: APRRN urges Thai Government not to deport Montagnard Activist
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) calls upon the Royal Thai Government to immediately release Y Quynh Bdap, a Montagnard religious freedom activist and refugee, and to ensure that he is not forcibly returned to Vietnam. As we marked World Refugee Day yesterday, the Royal Thai Government should safeguard the core protection for refugees escaping persecution in their home countries, by honouring its obligation of non-refoulement under Thai and international law.
24 June 2024
Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) 2024 Solutions in Action: Towards the 2030 Roadmap NGO Statement
We, the participating non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) 2024, offer the following comments and policy recommendations to actors involved in refugee resettlement, complementary pathways and post-arrival settlement and integration support.
7 June 2024
NGOs issue global call for expansion of refugee resettlement
Media release on 2024 CRCP NGO statement NGO delegates from 26 countries today have called for international action to expand resettlement and additional migration pathways for refugees as UNHCR releases a new report detailing that 2.9 million of the world’s refugees will be in priority need of resettlement in 2025. The three-day annual Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) opened in Geneva today with the release of UNHCR’s assessment of global refugee resettlement needs for 2025.
7 June 2024
Joint Statement on Malaysia’s Harmful Immigration Detention Policies & Practices
“Malaysia should use its final year as a member of the UN Human Rights Council to implement urgently needed reform of its immigration detention policies and practices. We are alarmed by Malaysia’s arbitrary and indefinite detention of men, women, and children fleeing genocide and human rights violations. We see the repeated incidents of deaths and escapes from immigration depots as an indicator of injustices that need to be addressed humanely through reform”
8 February 2024
Urgent Appeal on the Situation of Myanmarese Refugees in India
India has become an increasingly important destination for refugees fleeing Myanmar since the 2021 coup d’état. While the Indian government has condemned the violence, it has simultaneously ordered several frontline states to identify “illegal immigrants” with a view to deporting them. As states expand their detention systems there are increasing reports about mistreatment in custody, paltry detention conditions, and pushbacks along the border.
2 February 2024
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) Statement on the Global Refugee Forum 2023
APRRN welcomes the convening of the second Global Refugee Forum (GRF) from 13-15 December 2023. During this forum, we acknowledge the commitments made by various States and stakeholders to support the practical implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR).
14 December 2023
Statements Delivered in the High-Level Meeting
In the face of one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time - the plight of Rohingya refugees - the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) recognises the crucial role played by Rohingya refugee-led organisations (RRLOs). This preface introduces a series of impactful statements addressing the imperative need for acknowledging and empowering RRLOs in building resilience and seeking sustainable solutions that were delivered at the High-Level Meeting on Rohingya Refugees held on 17th October 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.
30 November 2023
Refugees and Migrants as Actors of Development: Bringing and amplifying migrants' and refugees’ voices in the population and development discourse
On November 17, 2023, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) organised a 75-minute side event entitled “Migrants and refugees as actors of development: Bringing and amplifying migrants and refugees’ voice in the population and development discourse.” The side event was organised during the 7th Asia Pacific Population Conference (7APPC) held in the United Nations Building in Bangkok, Thailand.
29 November 2023
APRRN Urges Pakistan Not to Deport Afghans Seeking Safety within its Borders
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is extremely concerned by the Pakistani government’s announcement that all undocumented asylum seekers, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghan nationals living in Pakistan, must leave before 1st November voluntarily, or face deportation. This has led to arrests, detentions, and evictions spreading fear amongst Afghans and other refugees in Pakistan. We call for the immediate cessation of this policy to protect the rights of people seeking asylum and provide access to timely registration.
13 October 2023
Addressing the Issues of Rohingya Detention and Human Rights Violations in India at G20
According to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there are around 40,000 Rohingya refugees in India with approximately 18,000 registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).1 The Indian state has historically welcomed refugees from different countries and communities. However, during the genocidal violence experienced by Rohingyas in 2017, the Minister of State for Home Affairs in India issued a directive to state governments asking them to identify all “illegal immigrants” within their respective borders, for deportation.
25 September 2023
APRRN CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TO IMMEDIATELY STOP ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND INDEFINITE DETENTION OF ROHINGYA MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ACROSS INDIA
APRRN calls on the Government of India to respect the rule of law and immediately cease arbitrary arrests and indefinite detention of Rohingya refugees. APRRN condemns the recent incident on 18 July where prison authorities in Hiranagar in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir used excessive force when shooting teargas at a group of 269 Rohingya men, women and children who were attempting to break free, resulting in several people being injured and the death of a five-month-old child. APRRN further condemns the arrest and detainment of over 200 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, on 24 July in Uttar Pradesh.
1 August 2023
DECREASE OF THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS: SUAKA STRONGLY CONDEMN THE REFOULEMENT OF AN ASYLUM SEEKER FROM MYANMAR
SUAKA strongly condemns the decisions and actions of the Soekarno Hatta Airport Immigration which refused entry and refouled one asylum seeker from Myanmar on 21 June 2023. The repatriation was carried out at 21:11 WIB via flight QZ252.
23 June 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Call On Asean Leaders To Prioritise Establishment Of Regional Protection Framework As Myanmar And Rohingya Crisis Worsens
APRRN urgently calls on ASEAN leaders for the establishment of a regional protection framework to guide and support protection-centred and human rights-based responses within and between ASEAN members states, putting refugees safety as priority.
9 May 2023
โดย เครือข่ายสิทธิผู้ลี้ภัยและคนไร้รัฐ และเครือข่ายองค์กรด้านประชากรข้ามชาต ประเทศไทย: ยุติการควบคุมตัวผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์อย่างไม่มีกําหนดโดยทันที และสอบสวนการเสียชีวิต ระหว่างถูกคุมขัง
นายมัตโตห์ตี มัตตูร์ซุน (มูฮัมหมัด ตูร์ซุน) อายุ 40 ปี ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ ซึ่งถูกคุมขังไว้ที่สถานกักกันคนเข้าเมืองของไทยตั้งแต่วันที่ 13 มีนาคม 2557 เสียชีวิตเมื่อวันศุกร์ที่ผ่านมา คาดว่าเขาเสียชีวิตด้วยอาการตับวาย มัตโตห์ตี มัตตูร์ซุน เป็นชายชาวอุยกูร์รายที่สองจากกลุ่มผู้ถูกคุมขังชาวอุยกูร์เกือบ 50 คน ที่เสียชีวิตในช่วงสองเดือนที ผ่านมา โดยในเดือนกุมภาพันธ์ 2566 ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ชื่อ อาซิซ อับดุลลาห์ เสียชีวิตในห้องกักคนเข้าเมืองสวนพลูซึ่ ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ ส่วนใหญ่ถูกควบคุมตัวอยู่ที่น
27 April 2023
The Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) and Migrant Working Group (MWG) Thailand: Immediately End Indefinite Detention of Uyghur Refugees, Investigate Death in Custody
Mr. Mattohti Mattursun (Muhammad Tursun), 40, a Uyghur refugee who had been in Thai immigration detention since March 13, 2014, passed away on Friday. He died of suspected liver failure. Mattohti Mattursun is the second Uyghur man from a group of almost 50 Uyghur detainees to die in the last two months. In February 2023, Uyghur refugee Aziz Abdullah also died in Suan Phlu immigration detention center (IDC), where most of the Uyghur refugees are being detained.
27 April 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN urges Japan to withdraw the Amendment bill to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act showing their leadership in international refugee protection
We raise concerns that the bill, as approved by Japan's Cabinet on 7 March 2023, may result in longer periods in detention, lack of due process, and violation of the non-refoulement principle.
4 April 2023
APRRNは、日本が出入国管理及び難民認定法の改正案を撤回し、 国際的な難民保護におけるリーダーシップを発揮することを求めます
アジア太平洋難民の権利ネットワーク（APRRN）は、現在の形での出入国管理及び難民認定法（以下、 入管法）の改正案の撤回を求める。私たちは、2023年3月7日に日本で閣議決定された同法案が、収容 期間の長期化、適正手続きの欠如、ノン・ルフールマン原則に反する可能性があることを懸念する。
4 April 2023
Rohingya CBOs Condemn WFP's Decision to Cut Food Rations
We strongly believe that the shortage of funding for the Rohingya response is a failure of the United Nations. We are already a significant burden for Bangladesh. This announcement of cutting food rations will create a devastating situation for the Rohingya and will have severe implications, including child labour, human trafficking, child marriage, illegal activities, prostitution, and a hostile environment.
1 March 2023
World Uyghur Congress: Investigate Death of Uyghur refugee in Thai immigration detention facility; remaining Uyghur detainees must be released
The Royal Thai Government must investigate the death of Aziz Abdullah, 49, a farmer of Uyghur ethnicity, who died on Saturday 11 February in the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center (IDC) having spent almost nine years in immigration detention. Aziz Abdullah reportedly died of pneumonia.
17 February 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Bali Process Mechanisms must be Activated to stop Rohingya Deaths at Sea
APRRN urgently calls on the Bali Process Co-Chairs - Indonesia and Australia - to strengthen regional mechanisms, including activating the Bali Process Consultation Mechanism when boats are in distress at sea. There is an urgent need to address the increasing loss of life at sea, and ensure that failures to conduct rescue at sea within Search and Rescue Zones are not repeated in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal
26 January 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Myanmar Nationals and Allow Those Currently Detained Immediate Access to UNHCR
Hafsar Tameesuddin, Chair of APRRN, and a former Rohingya refugee previously resident in Malaysia, stated: “It is utterly disappointing to see that the Malaysian government has failed again to uphold the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar; forcing them to return to a country they had escaped with the fear of persecution is unacceptable and unjust. We urge the Government of Malaysia to uphold the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees.”
24 October 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Detained Myanmar Nationals and Allow Detainees Immediate Access to UNHCR
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to immediately halt any involuntary repatriation of Myanmar detainees and allow UNHCR access to screen all the detainees scheduled for deportation. We appeal to place the safety and security of vulnerable populations as a paramount consideration.
4 September 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN calls on the Royal Thai Government to comply with its legal obligations to Uyghur refugees
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) urges the Royal Thai Government not to deport Uyghur refugees held in arbitrary detention. No return to China is safe for Uyghurs. APRRN urges the Royal Thai Government to immediately release these refugees or utilize available resettlement options.
22 July 2022
STATEMENT IN CONDEMNATION OF THE EXECUTIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN MYANMAR/BURMA
Chin Human Rights Organization is deeply horrified and disgusted by the execution over the weekend of four prominent political prisoners, including Ko Jimmy & Phyo Zeyar Thaw by SAC military junta.
21 July 2022
APRRN CALLS ON THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND CEASE ITS DEPORTATION OF REFUGEES
Following the recent refoulement of three Cambodian nationals recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urges the Thai government to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of non-refoulement (the prohibition against the forcible return of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be persecuted) in accordance with its international legal obligations.
20 May 2022
APRRN CONDEMNS THE REFOULEMENT OF A ROHINGYA REFUGEE WOMAN FROM INDIA AND THE ESCALATING RISK TO OTHER ROHINGYA REFUGEES IN INDIA
APRRN condemns the recent refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India to Myanmar in serious violation of both international and Indian domestic law
12 May 2022
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY URGES MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT TO RETHINK IMMIGRATION DETENTION POLICIES & PRACTICES
A large number of Rohingya refugees are held indefinitely in immigration detention centres in Malaysia, without the possibility of release. This has been compounded by the Malaysian government refusing UNHCR access to detention centres in order to conduct refugee status determination processes since August 2019
2 May 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN condemns the refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India and the escalating risk to other Rohingya refugees in India
APRRN condemns the recent refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India to Myanmar in violation of both international and Indian domestic law. The deportation was carried out despite an order of the Manipur State Human Rights Commission staying the deportation, and an ongoing case before the Supreme Court of India. APRRN notes with grave concern the arrests of other Rohingya refugees and the more than 200 in detention at imminent risk of refoulement. APRRN calls on the Government of India to respect the rule of law and immediately cease arbitrary arrests, indefinite detention, and refoulement
5 April 2022
APRRN CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND CEASE DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS AGAINST UNHCR-RECOGNISED REFUGEE MOHAMMED KHAIRUZZAMAN
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is gravely concerned by the Government of Malaysia’s arrest, detention, and efforts to deport Mr Mohammed Khairuzzaman, a UNHCR-registered refugee
15 February 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN reiterates the need for the Royal Thai Government to comply with international law and cease the deportation of refugees
On 1 December, the Royal Thai Police defrocked and arrested the Venerable Bor Bet, who is both a Cambodian refugee and a Buddhist monk. Although he was yesterday released from detention, given Thailand’s recent deportation of refugees to Cambodia, he fears that he too will be forcibly returned. The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) reminds the Thai government that, as Thailand has publicly acknowledged, the forcible return (refoulement) of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be subject to persecution is prohibited.
4 December 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN calls on the Royal Thai Government to comply with international law and cease its deportation of refugees
Following the recent refoulement of three Cambodian nationals recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urges the Thai government to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of non-refoulement (the prohibition against the forcible return of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be persecuted) in accordance with its international legal obligations.
24 November 2021
APRRN MOURNS THE DEATH OF ROHINGYA LEADER MOHIBULLAH AND CALLS FOR MORE DETERMINED INTERNATIONAL ACTION
APRRN condemns in the strongest terms the brutal killing of Mohibullah, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), at his office in Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
21 October 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Defies Court Order, Putting Lives in Imminent Danger
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and the International Detention Coalition (IDC) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to grant UNHCR immediate and unfettered access to immigration detention facilities. We further urge the government to investigate the deportation on 23 February 2021 of 1,086 individuals to Myanmar, in defiance of the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s interim stay order granted earlier that day.
25 February 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Detained Myanmar Nationals and Allow Detainees Immediate Access to UNHCR
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to immediately halt the involuntary repatriation of Myanmar detainees, allow UNHCR access to all the detainees scheduled for deportation, and to place the safety and security of vulnerable populations as a paramount consideration.
19 February 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: We ask the Republic of Korea, the first nation in Asia to legislate an independent refugee law, for responsible implementation of the 1951 Refugee Convention
The Republic of Korea was the first nation in Asia to enact comprehensive domestic implementing legislation of its obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention) by adopting the Refugee Act in 2012. Regional and international refugee rights organizations have watched the proactive efforts of Korea with great expectations. However, after eight years, the situation of refugees within Korea and the government’s current efforts to amend the Refugee Act raise questions about whether Korea has accorded sufficient weight to its obligations and responsibilities as a party to the Refugee Convention.
30 December 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Hong Kong’s Regressive Legislative Amendments Risk Undermining Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is concerned that the Hong Kong1 Government’s proposals to amend the Immigration Ordinance contravene international standards and undermine the fairness of Hong Kong’s refugee screening mechanism. The Hong Kong Legislative Council must establish a Bills Committee at the Council Meeting this Wednesday (16 December) to scrutinise these proposals in detail and ensure that any amendments to the Immigration Ordinance respect, protect, and fulfil Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations, including the core principle of non-refoulment.
16 December 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Pursue Alternatives to Immigration Detention for Children Immediately
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) calls on the Malaysian government to stop the detention of children, regardless of their status or documentation, and to instead pursue alternative community placements and grant UNHCR timely access to detention facilities.
8 December 2020
Virtual donor conference on “Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response”
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) welcomes the call for a renewed commitment to sustained support for the humanitarian response and to comprehensive and sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees and host communities across the region. While the displacement and statelessness crisis faced by the Rohingya ultimately requires a solution by Myanmar, protection, legal documentation, and access to services for Rohingya in host countries across the region are urgently needed now.
22 October 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: End Pushbacks of Rohingya Refugees
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is gravely concerned over reports that Malaysian maritime authorities pushed back Rohingya refugees arriving by boat on 16 April. Re ports indicate Malaysian authorities refused to allow the disembarkation of a fishing trawler with approximately 200 Rohingya aboard. This action comes a day after Bangladeshi authorities rescued a boat of 396 Rohingya refugees that had failed in its attempts to reach Malaysia. According to a survivor, both Malaysian and Thai authorities prevented the boat entry to their respective territories. At least 28 individuals are reported to have died over the course of the journey
17 April 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Global response to COVID-19 should not undermine the right of asylum
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) further reiterates our grave concern over the impact of border-closure measures implemented by governments around the world on the right to seek asylum from persecution.
23 March 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Refugees must be included in COVID-19 response, not vilified or ignored
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is calling upon local, national, and international COVID 19 response actors to ensure refugees and other migrants are substantively considered in their preparedness and response plans as a matter of urgency.
16 March 2020
Urgent Statement on the Rohingya Crisis and the Need for Regional Protection
We express our deep concern over the ongoing Rohingya crisis and the lack of a comprehensive and coordinated regional response to protect refugees in Southeast Asia. As the situation continues to deteriorate, we call for immediate action from ASEAN, its member states, and the international community.
5 October 2024
APRRN calls on Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution to free children in Malaysia!
“While children are killed and maimed in Myanmar, Palestine, and other countries around the world, Malaysia keeps those who have fled locked up indefinitely for seeking safety in its territory. This is wrong and unacceptable and must be changed in law and practice.” APRRN’s Co-Secretary General, Hafsar Tameesuddin.
4 September 2024
Press Release: Immediate Global Attention Needed to Prevent Extermination of Rohingya in Arakan State, Myanmar (Burma)
The Rohingya people of Arakan State are caught in the violent conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military. Forced into a deadly power struggle, they face recruitment into fighting, displacement, hunger, and senseless violence. They continue to have their basic human rights violated on a daily basis. This crisis demands immediate and urgent global attention and action to prevent the extermination of the Rohingya people.
8 August 2024
Thailand: APRRN urges Thai Government not to deport Montagnard Activist
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) calls upon the Royal Thai Government to immediately release Y Quynh Bdap, a Montagnard religious freedom activist and refugee, and to ensure that he is not forcibly returned to Vietnam. As we marked World Refugee Day yesterday, the Royal Thai Government should safeguard the core protection for refugees escaping persecution in their home countries, by honouring its obligation of non-refoulement under Thai and international law.
24 June 2024
Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) 2024 Solutions in Action: Towards the 2030 Roadmap NGO Statement
We, the participating non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) 2024, offer the following comments and policy recommendations to actors involved in refugee resettlement, complementary pathways and post-arrival settlement and integration support.
7 June 2024
NGOs issue global call for expansion of refugee resettlement
Media release on 2024 CRCP NGO statement NGO delegates from 26 countries today have called for international action to expand resettlement and additional migration pathways for refugees as UNHCR releases a new report detailing that 2.9 million of the world’s refugees will be in priority need of resettlement in 2025. The three-day annual Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) opened in Geneva today with the release of UNHCR’s assessment of global refugee resettlement needs for 2025.
7 June 2024
Joint Statement on Malaysia’s Harmful Immigration Detention Policies & Practices
“Malaysia should use its final year as a member of the UN Human Rights Council to implement urgently needed reform of its immigration detention policies and practices. We are alarmed by Malaysia’s arbitrary and indefinite detention of men, women, and children fleeing genocide and human rights violations. We see the repeated incidents of deaths and escapes from immigration depots as an indicator of injustices that need to be addressed humanely through reform”
8 February 2024
Urgent Appeal on the Situation of Myanmarese Refugees in India
India has become an increasingly important destination for refugees fleeing Myanmar since the 2021 coup d’état. While the Indian government has condemned the violence, it has simultaneously ordered several frontline states to identify “illegal immigrants” with a view to deporting them. As states expand their detention systems there are increasing reports about mistreatment in custody, paltry detention conditions, and pushbacks along the border.
2 February 2024
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) Statement on the Global Refugee Forum 2023
APRRN welcomes the convening of the second Global Refugee Forum (GRF) from 13-15 December 2023. During this forum, we acknowledge the commitments made by various States and stakeholders to support the practical implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR).
14 December 2023
Statements Delivered in the High-Level Meeting
In the face of one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time - the plight of Rohingya refugees - the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) recognises the crucial role played by Rohingya refugee-led organisations (RRLOs). This preface introduces a series of impactful statements addressing the imperative need for acknowledging and empowering RRLOs in building resilience and seeking sustainable solutions that were delivered at the High-Level Meeting on Rohingya Refugees held on 17th October 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.
30 November 2023
Refugees and Migrants as Actors of Development: Bringing and amplifying migrants' and refugees’ voices in the population and development discourse
On November 17, 2023, the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) organised a 75-minute side event entitled “Migrants and refugees as actors of development: Bringing and amplifying migrants and refugees’ voice in the population and development discourse.” The side event was organised during the 7th Asia Pacific Population Conference (7APPC) held in the United Nations Building in Bangkok, Thailand.
29 November 2023
APRRN Urges Pakistan Not to Deport Afghans Seeking Safety within its Borders
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is extremely concerned by the Pakistani government’s announcement that all undocumented asylum seekers, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghan nationals living in Pakistan, must leave before 1st November voluntarily, or face deportation. This has led to arrests, detentions, and evictions spreading fear amongst Afghans and other refugees in Pakistan. We call for the immediate cessation of this policy to protect the rights of people seeking asylum and provide access to timely registration.
13 October 2023
Addressing the Issues of Rohingya Detention and Human Rights Violations in India at G20
According to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there are around 40,000 Rohingya refugees in India with approximately 18,000 registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).1 The Indian state has historically welcomed refugees from different countries and communities. However, during the genocidal violence experienced by Rohingyas in 2017, the Minister of State for Home Affairs in India issued a directive to state governments asking them to identify all “illegal immigrants” within their respective borders, for deportation.
25 September 2023
APRRN CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TO IMMEDIATELY STOP ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND INDEFINITE DETENTION OF ROHINGYA MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ACROSS INDIA
APRRN calls on the Government of India to respect the rule of law and immediately cease arbitrary arrests and indefinite detention of Rohingya refugees. APRRN condemns the recent incident on 18 July where prison authorities in Hiranagar in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir used excessive force when shooting teargas at a group of 269 Rohingya men, women and children who were attempting to break free, resulting in several people being injured and the death of a five-month-old child. APRRN further condemns the arrest and detainment of over 200 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, on 24 July in Uttar Pradesh.
1 August 2023
DECREASE OF THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS: SUAKA STRONGLY CONDEMN THE REFOULEMENT OF AN ASYLUM SEEKER FROM MYANMAR
SUAKA strongly condemns the decisions and actions of the Soekarno Hatta Airport Immigration which refused entry and refouled one asylum seeker from Myanmar on 21 June 2023. The repatriation was carried out at 21:11 WIB via flight QZ252.
23 June 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Call On Asean Leaders To Prioritise Establishment Of Regional Protection Framework As Myanmar And Rohingya Crisis Worsens
APRRN urgently calls on ASEAN leaders for the establishment of a regional protection framework to guide and support protection-centred and human rights-based responses within and between ASEAN members states, putting refugees safety as priority.
9 May 2023
โดย เครือข่ายสิทธิผู้ลี้ภัยและคนไร้รัฐ และเครือข่ายองค์กรด้านประชากรข้ามชาต ประเทศไทย: ยุติการควบคุมตัวผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์อย่างไม่มีกําหนดโดยทันที และสอบสวนการเสียชีวิต ระหว่างถูกคุมขัง
นายมัตโตห์ตี มัตตูร์ซุน (มูฮัมหมัด ตูร์ซุน) อายุ 40 ปี ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ ซึ่งถูกคุมขังไว้ที่สถานกักกันคนเข้าเมืองของไทยตั้งแต่วันที่ 13 มีนาคม 2557 เสียชีวิตเมื่อวันศุกร์ที่ผ่านมา คาดว่าเขาเสียชีวิตด้วยอาการตับวาย มัตโตห์ตี มัตตูร์ซุน เป็นชายชาวอุยกูร์รายที่สองจากกลุ่มผู้ถูกคุมขังชาวอุยกูร์เกือบ 50 คน ที่เสียชีวิตในช่วงสองเดือนที ผ่านมา โดยในเดือนกุมภาพันธ์ 2566 ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ชื่อ อาซิซ อับดุลลาห์ เสียชีวิตในห้องกักคนเข้าเมืองสวนพลูซึ่ ผู้ลี้ภัยชาวอุยกูร์ ส่วนใหญ่ถูกควบคุมตัวอยู่ที่น
27 April 2023
The Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) and Migrant Working Group (MWG) Thailand: Immediately End Indefinite Detention of Uyghur Refugees, Investigate Death in Custody
Mr. Mattohti Mattursun (Muhammad Tursun), 40, a Uyghur refugee who had been in Thai immigration detention since March 13, 2014, passed away on Friday. He died of suspected liver failure. Mattohti Mattursun is the second Uyghur man from a group of almost 50 Uyghur detainees to die in the last two months. In February 2023, Uyghur refugee Aziz Abdullah also died in Suan Phlu immigration detention center (IDC), where most of the Uyghur refugees are being detained.
27 April 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN urges Japan to withdraw the Amendment bill to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act showing their leadership in international refugee protection
We raise concerns that the bill, as approved by Japan's Cabinet on 7 March 2023, may result in longer periods in detention, lack of due process, and violation of the non-refoulement principle.
4 April 2023
APRRNは、日本が出入国管理及び難民認定法の改正案を撤回し、 国際的な難民保護におけるリーダーシップを発揮することを求めます
アジア太平洋難民の権利ネットワーク（APRRN）は、現在の形での出入国管理及び難民認定法（以下、 入管法）の改正案の撤回を求める。私たちは、2023年3月7日に日本で閣議決定された同法案が、収容 期間の長期化、適正手続きの欠如、ノン・ルフールマン原則に反する可能性があることを懸念する。
4 April 2023
Rohingya CBOs Condemn WFP's Decision to Cut Food Rations
We strongly believe that the shortage of funding for the Rohingya response is a failure of the United Nations. We are already a significant burden for Bangladesh. This announcement of cutting food rations will create a devastating situation for the Rohingya and will have severe implications, including child labour, human trafficking, child marriage, illegal activities, prostitution, and a hostile environment.
1 March 2023
World Uyghur Congress: Investigate Death of Uyghur refugee in Thai immigration detention facility; remaining Uyghur detainees must be released
The Royal Thai Government must investigate the death of Aziz Abdullah, 49, a farmer of Uyghur ethnicity, who died on Saturday 11 February in the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center (IDC) having spent almost nine years in immigration detention. Aziz Abdullah reportedly died of pneumonia.
17 February 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Bali Process Mechanisms must be Activated to stop Rohingya Deaths at Sea
APRRN urgently calls on the Bali Process Co-Chairs - Indonesia and Australia - to strengthen regional mechanisms, including activating the Bali Process Consultation Mechanism when boats are in distress at sea. There is an urgent need to address the increasing loss of life at sea, and ensure that failures to conduct rescue at sea within Search and Rescue Zones are not repeated in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal
26 January 2023
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Myanmar Nationals and Allow Those Currently Detained Immediate Access to UNHCR
Hafsar Tameesuddin, Chair of APRRN, and a former Rohingya refugee previously resident in Malaysia, stated: “It is utterly disappointing to see that the Malaysian government has failed again to uphold the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar; forcing them to return to a country they had escaped with the fear of persecution is unacceptable and unjust. We urge the Government of Malaysia to uphold the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees.”
24 October 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Detained Myanmar Nationals and Allow Detainees Immediate Access to UNHCR
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to immediately halt any involuntary repatriation of Myanmar detainees and allow UNHCR access to screen all the detainees scheduled for deportation. We appeal to place the safety and security of vulnerable populations as a paramount consideration.
4 September 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN calls on the Royal Thai Government to comply with its legal obligations to Uyghur refugees
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) urges the Royal Thai Government not to deport Uyghur refugees held in arbitrary detention. No return to China is safe for Uyghurs. APRRN urges the Royal Thai Government to immediately release these refugees or utilize available resettlement options.
22 July 2022
STATEMENT IN CONDEMNATION OF THE EXECUTIONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN MYANMAR/BURMA
Chin Human Rights Organization is deeply horrified and disgusted by the execution over the weekend of four prominent political prisoners, including Ko Jimmy & Phyo Zeyar Thaw by SAC military junta.
21 July 2022
APRRN CALLS ON THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND CEASE ITS DEPORTATION OF REFUGEES
Following the recent refoulement of three Cambodian nationals recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urges the Thai government to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of non-refoulement (the prohibition against the forcible return of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be persecuted) in accordance with its international legal obligations.
20 May 2022
APRRN CONDEMNS THE REFOULEMENT OF A ROHINGYA REFUGEE WOMAN FROM INDIA AND THE ESCALATING RISK TO OTHER ROHINGYA REFUGEES IN INDIA
APRRN condemns the recent refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India to Myanmar in serious violation of both international and Indian domestic law
12 May 2022
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY URGES MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT TO RETHINK IMMIGRATION DETENTION POLICIES & PRACTICES
A large number of Rohingya refugees are held indefinitely in immigration detention centres in Malaysia, without the possibility of release. This has been compounded by the Malaysian government refusing UNHCR access to detention centres in order to conduct refugee status determination processes since August 2019
2 May 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN condemns the refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India and the escalating risk to other Rohingya refugees in India
APRRN condemns the recent refoulement of a Rohingya refugee woman from India to Myanmar in violation of both international and Indian domestic law. The deportation was carried out despite an order of the Manipur State Human Rights Commission staying the deportation, and an ongoing case before the Supreme Court of India. APRRN notes with grave concern the arrests of other Rohingya refugees and the more than 200 in detention at imminent risk of refoulement. APRRN calls on the Government of India to respect the rule of law and immediately cease arbitrary arrests, indefinite detention, and refoulement
5 April 2022
APRRN CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND CEASE DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS AGAINST UNHCR-RECOGNISED REFUGEE MOHAMMED KHAIRUZZAMAN
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is gravely concerned by the Government of Malaysia’s arrest, detention, and efforts to deport Mr Mohammed Khairuzzaman, a UNHCR-registered refugee
15 February 2022
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN reiterates the need for the Royal Thai Government to comply with international law and cease the deportation of refugees
On 1 December, the Royal Thai Police defrocked and arrested the Venerable Bor Bet, who is both a Cambodian refugee and a Buddhist monk. Although he was yesterday released from detention, given Thailand’s recent deportation of refugees to Cambodia, he fears that he too will be forcibly returned. The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) reminds the Thai government that, as Thailand has publicly acknowledged, the forcible return (refoulement) of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be subject to persecution is prohibited.
4 December 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: APRRN calls on the Royal Thai Government to comply with international law and cease its deportation of refugees
Following the recent refoulement of three Cambodian nationals recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) strongly urges the Thai government to reaffirm its commitment to the principle of non-refoulement (the prohibition against the forcible return of refugees or people seeking asylum to a country where they are liable to be persecuted) in accordance with its international legal obligations.
24 November 2021
APRRN MOURNS THE DEATH OF ROHINGYA LEADER MOHIBULLAH AND CALLS FOR MORE DETERMINED INTERNATIONAL ACTION
APRRN condemns in the strongest terms the brutal killing of Mohibullah, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), at his office in Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
21 October 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Defies Court Order, Putting Lives in Imminent Danger
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and the International Detention Coalition (IDC) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to grant UNHCR immediate and unfettered access to immigration detention facilities. We further urge the government to investigate the deportation on 23 February 2021 of 1,086 individuals to Myanmar, in defiance of the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s interim stay order granted earlier that day.
25 February 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Stop the Planned Deportation of Detained Myanmar Nationals and Allow Detainees Immediate Access to UNHCR
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly urge the Government of Malaysia to immediately halt the involuntary repatriation of Myanmar detainees, allow UNHCR access to all the detainees scheduled for deportation, and to place the safety and security of vulnerable populations as a paramount consideration.
19 February 2021
URGENT STATEMENT: We ask the Republic of Korea, the first nation in Asia to legislate an independent refugee law, for responsible implementation of the 1951 Refugee Convention
The Republic of Korea was the first nation in Asia to enact comprehensive domestic implementing legislation of its obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention) by adopting the Refugee Act in 2012. Regional and international refugee rights organizations have watched the proactive efforts of Korea with great expectations. However, after eight years, the situation of refugees within Korea and the government’s current efforts to amend the Refugee Act raise questions about whether Korea has accorded sufficient weight to its obligations and responsibilities as a party to the Refugee Convention.
30 December 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Hong Kong’s Regressive Legislative Amendments Risk Undermining Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is concerned that the Hong Kong1 Government’s proposals to amend the Immigration Ordinance contravene international standards and undermine the fairness of Hong Kong’s refugee screening mechanism. The Hong Kong Legislative Council must establish a Bills Committee at the Council Meeting this Wednesday (16 December) to scrutinise these proposals in detail and ensure that any amendments to the Immigration Ordinance respect, protect, and fulfil Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations, including the core principle of non-refoulment.
16 December 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Malaysia Must Pursue Alternatives to Immigration Detention for Children Immediately
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) calls on the Malaysian government to stop the detention of children, regardless of their status or documentation, and to instead pursue alternative community placements and grant UNHCR timely access to detention facilities.
8 December 2020
Virtual donor conference on “Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response”
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) welcomes the call for a renewed commitment to sustained support for the humanitarian response and to comprehensive and sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugees and host communities across the region. While the displacement and statelessness crisis faced by the Rohingya ultimately requires a solution by Myanmar, protection, legal documentation, and access to services for Rohingya in host countries across the region are urgently needed now.
22 October 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: End Pushbacks of Rohingya Refugees
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is gravely concerned over reports that Malaysian maritime authorities pushed back Rohingya refugees arriving by boat on 16 April. Re ports indicate Malaysian authorities refused to allow the disembarkation of a fishing trawler with approximately 200 Rohingya aboard. This action comes a day after Bangladeshi authorities rescued a boat of 396 Rohingya refugees that had failed in its attempts to reach Malaysia. According to a survivor, both Malaysian and Thai authorities prevented the boat entry to their respective territories. At least 28 individuals are reported to have died over the course of the journey
17 April 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Global response to COVID-19 should not undermine the right of asylum
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) further reiterates our grave concern over the impact of border-closure measures implemented by governments around the world on the right to seek asylum from persecution.
23 March 2020
URGENT STATEMENT: Refugees must be included in COVID-19 response, not vilified or ignored
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is calling upon local, national, and international COVID 19 response actors to ensure refugees and other migrants are substantively considered in their preparedness and response plans as a matter of urgency.