<p>(Bangkok, 12 February 2013) - Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights group representing 47 human rights organizations from 16 Asian countries including Sri Lanka, has expressed its deep frustration in a statement issued to mark the three years of the abduction and killing of human rights defender Pattani Razeek. &nbsp;<br /></p>

<p>January 8, 2013: The Beginning of Sri Lanka’s Year Zero<br /><br />On the 8th of January, the President of Sri Lanka will address a proposal to parliament to remove the incumbent Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, based on a report by a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC). The entire PSC process has been declared unconstitutional and null and void by the Supreme Court of the country. For two days, the illegal proposal will be debated in the parliament and on the 11th it will be put to a vote. The government has the required majority to get it through the parliament. Immediately after passing the resolution, the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka will be removed by force and will be prevented from entering into the Supreme Court premises. A new Chief Justice will be appointed.</p>

<p>(Bangkok, 6 November 2012) - Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a regional human rights organization representing 49 non-governmental organizations across Asia, expressed its grave concern at the pending impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayke, in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The move to impeach the Chief Justice was made on 1 November 2012 by the country’s ruling party MPs handing the motion to Parliamentary Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, a brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.</p>

<p>(Bangkok, 31 July 2012) Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the news of the release of Nawshaad, one of the key suspects of the abduction and killing of human rights defender Mr. Pattani Razeek in Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>From 9 March to 23 March 2012, Dr Paikiasothy Saravunammutta, Ms Nimalka Fernando, Ms Sunila Abeysekera, and Mr Sunanada Deshapriya were targeted by government media and a Government Minister for their participation in the 19th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, where they had been lobbying to expose human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Paikisothy Saravunammutta is the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. Nimalka Fernando is the President of the International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism.</p>

<p>The successful United Nations Resolution on reconciliation and accountability should pave the way for a new period of commitment to cure the wounds of a long conflict, caused upon individuals as well as on the institutional structure of democracy and the rule of law in Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>(Bangkok, 29 July 2011) - The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply saddened by the news of the discovery yesterday of a body believed to be that of disappeared Sri Lankan human rights defender, Mr Pattani Razeek.</p>

<p>28 June 2011</p> <p>Your Excellency,</p> <p>Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a membership-based regional human rights organization, is gravely concerned with the failure of Your Excellency&rsquo;s Government on the investigation into the disappearance of Sri Lankan human rights defender, Mr Pattani Razeek, an Executive Committee Member of FORUM-ASIA, who disappeared on 11 February 2010 from Polonnaruwa, a town in the North-Central Province of Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>(Bangkok, 3 February 2010) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a membership-based organisation representing 46 human rights NGOs across Asia, expresses its grave concern over the present political repression and human rights abuse in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the presidential elections. All political actors in the country must take immediate steps to ensure due process and respect for democratic norms and human rights in Sri Lanka.</p>