New York – The UN Secretary General has called on Southeast Asian nations to ensure “democratic space and freedom of expression” and hold “transparent and free elections.”
António Guterres did not single out specific countries for criticism, but his comments on Friday came after several members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) held elections that were widely criticized by the international community.
At the Asean-UN ministerial meeting on Friday, Guterres said: “Following the first meeting of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights with the United Nations in May, a number of new activities have begun. I strongly encourage all progress towards freedom of expression and the enlargement of political and democratic space.”
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