Forwarded Press Release

‘Lawyers for Democracy’ is dismayed at the appointment of Major General (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri as the Governor of the Northern Province disregarding repeated calls by the Chief Minister of the Northern Province Dr. C. V. Vigneshwaran and the TNA to appoint a non military person as the Governor.  The appointment of Major General (Rtd) […]

Attached Communication was issued under the hand of the Director of National Secratariat of NGOs, an arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently. The MoD does not enjoy any specific legal authority under any statute whatsoever to control  freedom of speech and association of citizens,  who act collectively through civil society organisations. In the […]

ตามที่ปรากฏว่า น.ส. กริชสุดาคุณะแสน ถูกควบคุมตัวตั้งแต่วันที่ 28 พฤษภาคม 2557 จากจังหวัดชลบุรีโดยเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจและทหารโดยระหว่างการควบคุมตัวไม่มีบุคคลใดสามารถติดต่อน.ส. กริชสุดาได้และไม่ทราบว่า น.ส. กริชสุดาควบคุมตัวอยู่ที่ใด ต่อมาเมื่อวันที่ 17 มิถุนายน 2557 มีการเรียกนางสาวกริชสุดา ให้ไปรายงานตัวตามคำสั่งคณะรักษาความสงบแห่งชาติฉบับที่ 68/2557 ทั้งที่ยังไม่ปรากฏว่ามีการปล่อยตัวน.ส.กริชสุดา และยังไม่มีการแจ้งข้อกล่าวหาใดๆต่อมาเมื่อวันที่ 20 มิถุนายน 2557 พ.อ.วินธัย สุวารี รองโฆษกกองทัพบก ได้ออกมายอมรับว่ามีการควบคุมตัว น.ส. กริชสุดาจริงนั้น ศูนย์ทนายความเพื่อสิทธิมนุษยชนมีความกังวลและเห็นว่าการกระทำดังกล่าวของเจ้าหน้าที่เป็นการใช้อำนาจโดยไม่ชอบด้วยกฎหมายและละเมิดต่อหลักการพื้นฐานด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนด้วยเหตุผลดังต่อไปนี้ 1.การควบคุมตัว น.ส. กริชสุดาจนถึงปัจจุบันเป็นเวลากว่า 24 วันโดยไม่มีการแจ้งข้อกล่าวหานั้น เกินกว่าระยะเวลาตามมาตรา 15 ทวิ พ.ร.บ.กฎอัยการศึกพ.ศ. 2447 ซึ่งให้อำนาจกักตัวบุคคลไว้ได้เพียงเท่าที่จำเป็นแต่ต้องไม่เกิน 7 วัน ดังนั้นการควบคุมตัว น.ส. กริชสุดาตั้งแต่วันที่ 4 มิถุนายน2557 เป็นต้นมาจึงเป็นการควบคุมตัวโดยไม่ชอบด้วยกฎหมายที่ดำรงอยู่อย่างต่อเนื่องมาจนถึงปัจจุบันโดยที่ น.ส. กริชสุดา ยังคงอยู่ในความควบคุมของเจ้าหน้าที่ทหาร การที่คณะรักษาความสงบแห่งชาติ(คสช.) มีคำสั่งเรียก น.ส.กริชสุดา […]

On 28 May 2014, Ms. Kritsuda Khunasen was taken from Chonburi province by police and soldiers and has been under detention since then. No one has been able to contact her while she has been in detention and it is not known where she is detained.  On 17 June 2014, there was a summons for […]

Series of deaths of persons in police custody as suspects regarding the commission of criminal offences is of serious concern. The identical explanations given by the police regarding each such case of death while in custody and acceptance of such blatant manifest untruths has made a mockery of the system of administration of justice in […]

‘Lawyers for Democracy’ condemns the brutal attack on university students for demonstrating and the subsequent assault and torture at the Slave Island police station causing physical injury to some of the students. We reiterate the fundamental rights of students to protest or demonstrate in a peaceful manner. We deplore the actions of the police in […]

JPF press release On 21 May 2014, the Supreme Court will read the Court Decision of Somchai Enforced Disappearance that Somchai’s family appeal to the Supreme Court (The Attorney General did not appeal). Contact: Angkhana Neelapaijit 084-728-0350 Background: Somchai Neelapaijit a prominent human rights lawyer was abducted and disappeared in Bangkok on 12th March 2004 […]

23rd April 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Complaint filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director (Complaint No: HRC/3083/13) before the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN) and its Chairmen will be taken up for hearing tomorrow (Thursday, 24th April 2014) […]

• Labeling of lawyers by military continues • Practice of labeling root cause of extrajudicial killings • Pattern of ongoing threats against legal profession Philippines, 23 April 2014 – Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) warn in an open letter to President Aquino of the Philippines for the continued labeling of lawyers […]

The ‘Standing Committee on Rule of Law of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’ condemns the behavior of the members of the ‘Bodu Bala Sena’ who stormed Nipon Hotel where a group of Buddhist monks headed by Rev Watareka Vijitha Thero and other representatives of Civil Society organizations were holding a press conference to explain […]

‘Lawyers for Democracy’ condemn the harassment of the editor of Lakbima Newspaper, Sman Wagaarachchi by calling him to appear before the CID for questioning for the mere reasons that the caption to a photograph published in the paper has caused embarrassment to a party.   While conceding that it may have coursed embarrassment, we are surprised […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Martin Ennals Founation. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- FORWARDED PRESS RELEASE AHRC-FPR-012-2014 A Press Release from Martin Ennals Foundation is forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) BANGLADESH: Adilur Rahman Khan is selected for […]

War Against Rape (WAR), Karachi, expresses its profound sorrow and grief over the alleged abduction, rape and burning of a five-year old girl to death in Bheempura, and similarly 22 year old trainee nurse in Surjani Town, Karachi. WAR also appreciates the prompt notice taken by Mr. Ishrat Ul Ibad, Governor Sindh in the case […]

The AHRC would like to congratulate the Jagaran Media Center for launching a national campaign of community radios of Nepal against all kinds of discriminations, especially against caste-based discrimination and untouchability on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21st March 2014. A ‘South Asian Parliamentary Forum’ and ‘Asia Dalit Rights […]

We the Catholics of the entire Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna, comprising of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna Districts are sad and perturbed to know from the media that Reverend Father Proveen Mahesan, resident at Amathipuram, an Oblate settlement and Rukki Fernando a Human Rights activist of the South have been arrested in the Kilinochchi area […]

Dear friends, These are dark days. On Thursday the prominent campaigner for the disappeared Jeyakumari Balendran was arrested along with her 13 year old daughter. While the daughter was released, Jeyakumari continues to be held in Boosa detention centre. She is being held under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism act, under which a person can […]

In its latest direct onslaught on the women rights, Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has declared laws regarding second marriage of a man in the presence of first wife, against religious principles. The chairman of the council Maulana Mohammad Khan Sheerani, has said in a press statement that “Sharia allows men to have more than […]

PRESS CONFERENCE “A WEEK THAT SHOOK CAMBODIA” Release of the Fact-finding Mission Report on the Violent Crackdown on Garment Workers in Cambodia (Dec 2013-Jan 2014) The garment industry has been the chief engine of the Cambodian economy for the past two decades since its establishment in 1994. However, garment workers still account for a large […]

Defend Job Philippines joins and supports the people’s protest today in many parts of Metro Manila to show condemnation on the P4.15/kWh power rate hike by the Manila Electric Company or MERALCO. Their group joins the contingent of workers in Plaza Salamanca, Taft Avenue corner Kalaw St. which will march to the Supreme Court of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release announcement from Korean Women Link & Human Right Organisations from South Korea. For further details, kindly contact the person below. Ms. Park Jin DaSan Human Right Center Email: humandasan[at]gmail.com Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- FORWARDED PRESS […]