Human-rights groups demand release of three detained Gwangju Prize laureates in Hong Kong and Thailand
Two NGOs called for the immediate freedom of Chow Hang-tung in Hong Kong and Thai activists Arnon Nampa and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, saying their arrests signal a democratic crisis in Asia.
In a coordinated appeal, the May 18 Memorial Foundation and the Network of Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights demanded the prompt release of three recent prize winners. Hong Kong human-rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung, detained in her city, joins Thai human-rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, both held in Thailand. The organizations contend that these imprisonments illustrate a widening democratic backslide in Asia, adding to pressures faced by activists in Myanmar.
The Gwangju Prize, established in 2000 to commemorate the May 18 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, honors individuals who champion civil liberties. By highlighting the detainees’ cases, the groups aim to draw international attention to the shrinking space for dissent in the region.
Why it matters
The detentions underscore growing repression of pro-democracy activists across Asia, affecting regional human-rights standards.
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