Report finds freedoms under attack across Asia: CIVICUS

The attack on civil society and fundamental freedoms in Asia is getting worse, according to the latest report from the civil rights group CIVICUS only one of 25 territories in the region could be considered free.

The Johannesburg-based group in its report on Wednesday said it lowered two more nations to the "repressed" section, leaving Taiwan the only place considered 'open'.

The report said it was "particularly terrified by the regression of basic civil rights" in India and Brunei, an absolute monarchy in Southeast Asia.

"It added that China remains the main offender on censorship.

Now 95 per cent people in Asian countries are living with repressed, closed and obstructed civic space," Josef Benedict of CIVICUS said in a statement published online.

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In India, the report raised the alarm following the reported attacks on activists and journalists; some of them have been assaulted or killed "just for doing their job".

Pawan Kumar Jaiswal, an Indian journalist and his family were "living in fear" after he reported alleged corruption in Uttar Pradesh state in September.

Since his report was published, police have registered criminal cases against him, accusing him of maligning the state headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.