Civil Society and Regional Human Rights Development in Asia: Lessons from the Asian Human Rights Court Simulation

In 2019, the historic first hearing of the Asian Human Rights Court Simulation (AHRCS and its “Court”) took place in Taipei, Taiwan. The Court heard the case of Chiou Ho-shun v. ROC (Taiwan). The judges of the AHRCS consisted of experts in international human rights law; and observers from the media, scholars, government officials, and national and international human rights defenders were in attendance. Along with the hearings, the event included workshops on international human rights topics and a civil society dialogue. This article discusses issues surrounding the development, ecosystem, and future of the Court. The article first discusses the Asian perspective on human rights and the regionalization of human rights. The article then discusses the role of the AHRCS and the case of Chiou Ho-shun v. ROC (Taiwan). Importantly, the article discusses the role of civil society participation in the AHRCS and concludes with recommendations regarding an AHRCS Civil Society Organization Coordinator and a Special Rapporteur for follow-up matters.