Building Partnerships in Asia Pacific

In early December, WJP held the Asia Pacific Justice Forum, a two-day convening in Jakarta, Indonesia, bringing together Asia Pacific leaders to discuss the most pressing issues for rule of law in the region.

Urgent concerns include access to justice for minorities. In one Forum panel, attendees learned how discrimination based on caste, ethnicity, and religion is curtailing justice across the region.

Judicial independence was another critical theme. As expert panelists and UN Special Rapportueur Margaret Satterthwaite pointed out, a compromised judiciary has accompanied the rise of authoritarianism in many countries.

Disinformation has also undercut rule of law in Asia Pacific. While many governments have passed laws with the stated purpose of combating this threat, these laws can also limit free speech and suppress criticism. Panelists discussed how to strike a balance between addressing disinformation and respecting free speech.

The Forum’s influential speakers included Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia , the Honorable Muhammad Syarifuddin, chief justice of Indonesia, Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane, former Supreme Court justice of Sri Lanka, Victor Dawes, chair of Hong Kong Bar Association, Prashant Kumar, president of the Bar Association of India, and Steven Thiru, vice president of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

The Asia Pacific Justice Forum was co-hosted by Kemitraan and the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Justice 2.

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