Calls for Accountability Grow as Southeast Asian Governments Tighten Control

Human rights in Southeast Asia remain under severe strain as governments across the region consolidate power and suppress dissent. Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia each demonstrate distinct yet interconnected patterns of authoritarian control, ranging from restrictions on free speech and political opposition to targeted attacks on activists and journalists. These developments raise serious concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the credibility of regional commitments to international human rights standards.

Vietnam 

This week, Vietnam is running for re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The UN General Assembly will elect members on October 14, 2025. Vietnam, however, remains a country that does not prioritize human rights protections. As Human Rights Watch notes, Vietnam continues to be ruled by the Communist Party, which does not allow freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and religion. Additionally, rights activists continue to face arbitrary arrest and detention. On October 7, in fact, Ho Chi Minh City cancelled its Pride march and at least five other LGBTQ-themed events. According to the Times of India, many see the cancellation of these events as a government clampdown on youth-led protesters and on LGBTQ+ rights.

On October 6th, 2025, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations called for the release of Vietnamese journalist and human rights advocate Pham Doan Trang on the fifth anniversary of her detention. Trang was arrested in 2020 on charges of “anti-state activities” and was held incommunicado for one year. In 2021, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, led by General Secretary To Lam, has intensified its suppression of press freedom. Journalists, activists, and human rights defenders who openly criticize the government risk charges of “propaganda against the state” or “abusing democratic freedoms,” which may result in prison terms of up to 20 years. The international coalition demanded Trang’s immediate release and called for assurances regarding her safety, well-being, access to medical care, and adequate legal representation.

Myanmar

On October 6th, 2025, Myanmar’s military carried out a brutal paramotor airstrike during a Buddhist festival in Sagaing’s Chaung-U township, killing at least 21 and injuring more than 40 civilians, including children. This strike was part of continued attacks across Sagaing, which is considered one of the deadliest regions for civilians since the 2021 coup. The UN condemned the attack, calling it part of a broader pattern of indiscriminate violence that has marked the junta’s war on its own people. The junta publicly acknowledged the attack but tried to shift blame by accusing resistance forces of using civilians as human shields.

Further, the National Unity Government (NUG) and allied organizations released a press statement demanding that these attacks, the junta’s planned December elections, and the broader humanitarian crisis be addressed through inclusive dialogue rather than legitimizing the military’s grip.

Cambodia 

This week and in the past, Cambodia’s representative to the UN declared that peace cannot exist in the country when there are no solutions to the issues plaguing the country at the moment, including mass displacement, forced evictions, and soldiers remaining in captivity. While In Dara, Cambodia’s permanent representative to the UN, claims that elections in Cambodia are free and civil society is vibrant, the UN Special Rapporteur expresses concern and states that the Cambodian government instead limits dissent and civic space and is still detaining individuals charged on politically motivated crimes. Dara reiterated that the UN Council should adopt a more balanced view, recognizing their achievements and challenges, especially as they rise from war to rebuild their institutions. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) calls for the Cambodian government to release all imprisoned individuals on politically motivated charges and subsequently drop the charges laid against them. Additionally, Cambodia’s amen recognizing heir institutions. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) calls for the Cambodian government to release all imprisoned individuals on politically motivated charges and subsequently drop the charges laid against them. Additionally, Cambodia’s amendments to their Nationality Law pose not only risks to international law, but as a tool to silence peaceful and legitimate dissent for their civilians.

In other concerns, Human Rights Watch has argued that Cambodian microfinance institutions are disproportionately targeting Indigenous communities with predatory lending and debt collection practices. Consequently, Indigenous peoples have lost land titles and are being forced into starvation, and children are being forced into the workforce early, putting a limit on their educational journey. The findings of an ombudsman investigation will hopefully provide further solutions to this continuing issue.