The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of the death of a man in a military camp in southern Thailand on 21 March 2008. Five other arrestees were transferred to another camp after this incident. The AHRC calls for a thorough police investigation and prosecution of those responsible.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPPB) and the Forum For Democracy in  Burma (FDB) will launch the "Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now!" campaign today in Thailand to mark International Human Rights Day. The campaign demands the release of the 1,873 political prisoners detained in jails throughout Burma and condemns the use of systematic torture, the failed judicial system and targeted harassment of political prisoners' families.

Civil society has started to campaign for the Samak government to take heed of the public say in drafting an organic law within this year to govern negotiating procedure of future trade deals.

Eight non-governmental organisations presented their joint statement in the interactive dialogue with Hina Jilani, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders (HRDs), at the 7th session of the UN Human Right Council in Geneva. The organisations expressed their concerns over the risks human rights defenders in Asia face today.