known was emblematic of Pakistan’s cruel treatment of Afghan refugees. She was the iconic “Afghan girl” featured on the cover of a 1985 National Geographic magazine, and was for decades the world’s most famous refugee, a symbol of Pakistan’s status as a generous host. DISCRIMINATION Thousands protested against discrimination and violence faced by Dalit communities. Marginalized communities continued to be frequently overlooked in the government’s push for faster economic growth. Millions demonstrated against changes to labour laws. Black people faced racist harassment, discrimination and violence in various cities. Reports of violent crimes as well as sexual violence against women and girls rose while perpetrators enjoyed impunity, and women from marginalized communities faced systemic discrimination. Indian law criminalized soliciting in public places, leaving sex workers vulnerable to a range of abuses. Section 377 of India’s Penal Code continued to criminalize consensual samesex relations, despite legal challenges before the Supreme Court. India’s cabinet approved a flawed bill on transgender people’s rights, which was criticized by activists for its problematic definition of transgender people and inadequate anti-discrimination provisions. There was a spree of apparently militantinspired killings and other attacks in Bangladesh, where the authorities arrested nearly 15,000 people in a delayed response to a spate of attacks against bloggers, atheists, foreign nationals and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. The government frequently compromised its obligation to pursue those responsible using measures such as arbitrary and secret detention. Lack of protection for peaceful activists was further underscored by attacks for which no one was held accountable, such as the brutal killing of Xulhaz Mannan, editor of an LGBTI magazine, and his friend Tanay Mojumdar. Amnesty International Report 2016/17 Human rights activists under similar threat said that the police offered insufficient protection, while others were reluctant to approach the police fearing they would be charged or harassed. In Sri Lanka, LGBTI people faced harassment, discrimination and violence. High levels of impunity persisted for perpetrators of violence against women and girls, including rape by military personnel, and inadequate efforts were made to address domestic violence. Tamils complained of ethnic profiling, surveillance and harassment by police suspecting them of LTTE links; the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination found that the Sri Lanka Prevention of Terrorism Act was used disproportionately against Tamils. Christians and Muslims were reportedly harassed, threatened and attacked including by supporters of hardline Sinhala Buddhist political groups, with police failing to act or blaming religious minorities for inciting opponents to violence. SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Human rights defenders were under threat in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam and other countries including through increased use of new or existing laws which criminalized peaceful expression. In Thailand, ongoing suppression of peaceful dissent since the 2014 military coup created an environment in which few dared to criticize the authorities publicly. Human rights defenders faced charges of criminal defamation for speaking out about violations or for supporting vulnerable individuals and communities. The government moved to shut down debate ahead of a referendum on a draft Constitution; in one example, around a dozen people commenting on the proposed Constitution on Facebook were detained or charged, and faced up to 10 years’ imprisonment under a draconian new government order. 37