🚨 Just hours after the world cautiously welcomed news of a US-Israeli ceasefire with #Iran, in #Lebanon the nightmare for civilians has become more terrifying. Today has been the deadliest day since the latest round of fighting began on 2 March with an intense barrage of air strikes carried out across south Lebanon, the Beqaa valley and in crowded civilian areas in central #Beirut – many without warning. Hospitals have put out calls for blood donations, overwhelmed by the number of injured arriving.
We reiterate the urgent need #Israel to uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure civilians are protected. Israel has an appalling track record of carrying out unlawful attacks in Lebanon and displaying a callous disregard for civilian life, fueled by the impunity Israeli officials feel they enjoy.
🔗 Read more: https://t.co/6pa4rbS8FL
#Thailand 's Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the popular anti-establishment opposition party, Move Forward, over its controversial campaign to amend a law that protects the powerful monarchy from criticism.
The ruling highlights the authorities’ complete disregard for Thailand’s international human rights obligations.
Dissolving the party merely for advocating legal reforms constitutes a serious violation of the rights to freedom of expression and association against lawmakers who were simply performing their duty of proposing laws.
Thailand has publicly committed to global leadership on human rights by applying for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council. The authorities’ relentless harassment of the political opposition demonstrates that their stated commitment cannot be trusted.
Thai authorities must urgently reverse the dissolution and stop weaponizing laws to intimidate and harass critics, human rights defenders and opposition politicians.
https://t.co/RIIedA2Ec8
Amazing News from #Thailand! The country has taken a historic step towards becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage for LGBTI couples. This landmark moment is a reward for the tireless work of activists, civil society organizations and lawmakers who have fought for this victory.
The House of Representatives, the Thai parliament’s lower house, passed the same-sex marriage bill on 27 March 2024 with an overwhelming majority voting in favour. Today the Senate, the upper house of Thailand’s parliament, passed the law during an ad-hoc parliamentary session.
The bill grants LGBTI couples equal rights with heterosexual couples in relation to marriage, child adoption, healthcare consent and inheritance, among other things.
The bill will now be submitted to the Thai King for royal endorsement. Following this endorsement, it will be published on the Royal Gazette and become law after 120 days.
Thai authorities must build on the momentum and take further steps that protect the rights and ensure the participation of LGBTI people and organizations. LGBTI people in Thailand continue to face many forms of violence and discrimination, including but not limited to technology-facilitated gender-based violence which often targets human rights defenders.
Unprecedented cease fire call from a dozen International NGOs today at the Paris humanitarian conference for Gaza. We are all united in demanding, urging, pleading for a cease-fire now. #CeasefireNOW
Very happy to meet with Thai WHRD Bussarin Paenaeh recently where she told me how she had been targeted with Pegasus spyware for her legitimate work to defend the right to peaceful assembly in #Thailand. No HRDs should be subject to unlawful surveillance @iLawClub. @ChanatipTati
State of the World’s Human Rights - at the launch of the latest @amnesty report. “2023 must be a turning point for upholding human rights: anything less from the world’s leaders is a betrayal” - Agnés Callamard, Amnesty International 🌎 @AmnestyThailand
"Peaceful expression should never result in jail time. But that's what happened in Thailand this week when a man was found guilty of royal defamation after creating a calendar featuring yellow cartoon ducks." 1/3