We continue our analysis on how some ASEAN countries are coping with the threat of homegrown Islamic State militants, returning from the Middle East.

As countries share intelligence and resources to fight IS, many governments are enacting tougher anti-terrorism laws that target extremists. However, human rights groups are concerned that these laws may also be used to crack down on civil society, including dissenters and political opponents of some ruling regimes.

We explore whether the IS threat warrants the use of tougher legislation, at the possible expense of the human rights, freedom of speech and personal liberties of ASEAN’s general population.