Forwarded Statement

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour  said today she is alarmed over the suspension of fundamental rights and  imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan. Pakistan has not ratified the International Covenant on Civil and  Political Rights, but the High Commissioner noted that, under accepted  rules of international law, fundamental rights, […]

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) is gravely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of peaceful demonstrators including monks, arrested or missing after the demonstrations of August and September 2007 in Burma.  Given the large number of detained and missing, a UN sponsored delegation of experts is required to respond effectively.  LRWC welcomes the United Nations […]

A. INTRODUCTION To the casual observer, Singapore appears to be a cosmopolitan city-state with a functioning democracy based on the rule of law. After a century as a British colony, Singapore became selfgoverning in 1959 and gained full independence from Britain in 1965.2 As a former colony, it inherited a political system which includes a […]

Three months after its last hearing, the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) has not fixed a date to recommence the inquiry into the disappearance of Socialist Equality Party (SEP) member Nadarajah Wimaleswaran and his friend, Sivanathan Mathivathanan, in northern Sri Lanka on March 22. Speaking to SEP general secretary Wije Dias last Thursday, the […]

COLOMBO, 13 OCTOBER 2007 I wish to thank His Excellency the President for inviting me to visit Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating my program.   I would like to thank Minister Samarasinghe and the many government officials, representatives of political parties, religious leaders, members of civil society and UN colleagues who […]

PUBLIC STATEMENT – THE IIGEP REITERATES CONCERNS OVER THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY On 18 September 2007, the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (the IIGEP)’ submitted its second Interim Report to HE the President of Sri Lanka. The report contains details of the IIGEP’s continuing efforts to ensure transparency and monitor the […]

Human rights in the sense of human solidarity has created a new universal and equal language going beyond racial, gender, ethnic or religious boundaries. That is why we consider it a doorway to dialogue for people of all socioeconomic groups and all ideologies. — Munir Said Thalib   Munir lived for the protection of human […]

Dr. Chee Soon Juan’s appeal against his conviction for attempting to travel without a permit will be heard tomorrow at the Supreme Court at 10 am before Judge Choo Han Teck. In March 2006, the SDP secretary-general had applied to travel to Turkey to attend a conference of the World Movement for Democracy. He was […]

forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: the Supreme Court Judgment reversing the suspension of the We reproduce below the judgment given by the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding the challenge made by the Chief Justice Iftehkar M. Chaudry regarding his suspension from the post of Chief Justice and the reference against him made […]

“Ratification and implementation of the convention in responsible manner showed the Indonesia’s seriousness in order to promote and protection of human rights, especially the right of freedom from torture. This matter also shall increase Indonesia’s positive image on international community and place a solid trust from international society towards Indonesia” Supplement of Law Number 5 […]

We, the undersigned, express our grave concerns regarding the sudden twist of events in the murder trial of Mongolian national, Altantuya Shaariibuu, which has led to an unfair delay in the court process. The abrupt replacement of the public prosecutors by Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail raises a number of disturbing concerns. First: Why was […]

(Note: We are reproducing the report published on June 14 2007 by the International Crisis Group. The Executive Summary and Recommendations follow below). ____________ *INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP – NEW REPORT* Colombo/Brussels, 14 June 2007: The international community must press the warring sides for urgent action to address wide-spread human rights abuses in Sri Lanka as […]

Further to our previous public statement of 11 June 2007, we, the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) are concerned that the conduct of the President’s Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Alleged Serious Violations of Human Rights (the Commission) is inconsistent with international norms and standards. Failure to take corrective action […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Statement from the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: The first statement of the International Independent Group of […]

The following statement was issued today by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Philip Alston: “We strongly condemn the abduction and murder of two workers of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society that occurred in Colombo […]

We are forwarding the full text of the affidavit filed by the suspended Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry regarding the ordeal he suffered at Army House on March 9, 2007 when he was restrained inside the premises when some other judge was made to take oath as an acting Chief Justice. IN THE SUPREME COURT […]

(Following is the text of Mr. Muneer Malik’s speech which he delivered on May 26, 2007 when the Supreme Court Bar Association held a seminar on “separation of powers and judicial independence”. The suspended Chief Justice Mr. Iftekhar Choudary was the chief guest of the seminar). SEPARATION OF POWERS Welcome to this defining moment in […]

SINDH BAR COUNCIL Sindh High Court Building (Annexe) Karachi. Dated: 15/05/2007 RESOLUTION This extra. ordinary meeting of the Members of the Sindh Bar Council held on 15th May 2007 strongly condemns he brutality committed on 12th May 2007 on the innocent Members who were on the way to Airport to Welcome the Chief Justice of […]

APRIL 27, 2007: (Update to LRWC statement of March 19, 2007) LRWC deplores President Musharraf’s March 9, 2007 suspension of Iftikar Mohamed Chaudhry from his office as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.  LRWC re-iterates our earlier statement that the suspension constitutes an unacceptable attack on the independence of the Pakistan judiciary. LRWC […]

CIVIL MONITORING COMMISSION (CMC) Monitoring involuntary Disappearances, Abductions, Extra Judicial Killings, Extortionsand Arbitrary arrests and detentions in Sri Lanka #72 Bankshall Street Colombo 11 Sri Lanka  P.O.Box 803 Colombo Phone 11-2473511 Fax 11-2435961 E -mail: civilmonitorlanka@gmail.com (Chairman) Sirithunga Jayasooriya (Convener) Mano Ganesan MP (Members) Luxman Kiriella MP,  Suresh Premachandran MP Dear Sir/Madam, SUBJECT: First of the […]