Statement

Yesterday (September 30, 2008) at 1:30 pm an unknown person tried to enter the premises of Transparency International (TI) Sri Lanka at the address 28/1 Bullers Lane, Colombo. The TI officers obstructed him and closed the gates, preventing the person from entering the premises. Then, a person on a motorcycle arrived and whisked away this […]

There is no universally agreed definition for the term terrorism. In the absence of a common definition, particularly when the argument – one state’s ‘terrorist’ is another state’s ‘freedom fighter’ – holds good in the current day world order, often attempting to define the word ‘terrorism’ and an act as ‘terrorist activity’ invites criticism. However, […]

All eyes have now turned to the Bar Association of Sri Lanka as to how effective their actions will be in the aftermath of a grenade attack on the house of a senior lawyer, Mr. J.C. Weliamuna, on night of Saturday, 27th September. The Asian Human Rights Commission was able to talk to many lawyers […]

We reproduce below the text and title of a letter sent today by the AHRC to the High Court, the district court judge and the magistrates of Negombo September 26, 2008 Dear Sir/Madam Re: Letter to Judges of the Negombo area regarding killings and death threats to complainants and witnesses in torture cases and threats […]

Sugath Nishanta Fernando assassinated 20th September 2008 Gerard Perera assassinated 24th November 2004 Killing a person in Sri Lanka has become as easy as a child bursting a balloon. The inquest inquiry before the Negombo High Court regarding the assassination of Sugath Nishanta Fernando revealed details of how two persons riding on a motor bike […]

The report released by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) on September 19 after its suo motu inquiry lasting two months into the alleged human rights violations of young men conscripted as auxiliary police and battle police reveals how these young men have been exploited and ill-treated by the current conscription system. According to the […]

The alleged US arrest in July of Pakistan-US national Dr Aafia Siddiqui has left a series of unanswered questions about her missing children. With Dr Siddiqui now in US custody it is suspected that two of her children are still being detained illegally, and reports suggest that one child may have died. U.S. and Pakistan […]

On the 20th September Sugath Nishanta Fernando, of Negombo who was the complainant in a bribery case and a torture case in which the allegations were against several police officers of the Negombo area, was assassinated. The family has very clearly stated that they suspect no one else for this murder except the police officers […]

Prompt enquiries from a competent and independent special police unit needs to be conducted into to the assassination of Siyaguna Kosgodage Anton Sugath Nishantha Fernando, who was a complainant in a torture case before of the Supreme Court and a bribery case before the High Court against several police officers attached to the Negombo Police […]

The Supreme Court of Nepal, during an emergency five-hour hearing of the full court on September 19, retaliated against the president of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA), Bishwa Kant Mainali, and his remarks two days earlier against the legal malady of judicial corruption in the country. In reaction to his statement that, in effect, asserted […]

The ongoing violence in Orissa, India, reflects the current status of the rule of law in that state. The violent incidents that devastated the thin line of communal harmony in the state are the result of an intentional state policy of promoting vested religious interests. This ulterior motive to attain short-term political gains through unconstitutional […]

The government of Pakistan has not held the presenter of a popular TV program on Geo TV, accountable for stoking the already-prevalent religious hatred of Pakistan’s beleaguered Ahmadi minority, on 7 September, 2008. Anchor person Dr Amir Liaquat Hussain declared, on air, the murder of Ahmadi sect members to be the religious duty of devout […]

The protest made by Prof. Yash Ghai in his written statement to the 9th Session of the UN Human Rights Council is an eye-opener. He speaks of the failure of the Cambodian government to cooperate with his mandate, and instead rudely insult him. His comments demonstrate the very serious decline in the cooperation of a […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the government of Nepal’s plan to deport all Tibetans living in the country to India, without valid refugee certificates. The government’s plan is already in process. Mr. Modraj Dotel, the spokesman of the Ministry of Home Affairs, confirmed to the media on September 11 that […]

The Sri Lankan government has accepted complete responsibility for ensuring the safety of internally displaced persons living in the Kilinochchi area. The UN agencies and INGOs have complied with the government’s requests to move away from this area. Therefore, the job of providing for the security, as well as necessities such as food, water, medicine […]

While welcoming the release of 11-year-old Pakistani-American, Muhammad Ahmad, from the murky realm of US custody in Afghanistan, the Asian Human Rights Commission is still waiting for information on where and why the child was detained and for how long, plus information on his current condition and official status. No information about the child’s missing […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is concerned to hear from the United States Department of Justice that an 11-year old boy, and US-Pakistani Citizen, Mohammed Ahmad, has been illegally detained in Afghanistan since 17 July 2008, when his mother was allegedly arrested by the FBI. Strong attempts by his family in Pakistan and the US […]

The Tissainayagam case raises a fundamental question about the different kinds of criminal trials offered to the accused under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and Emergency Regulations as against the accused in regular criminal trials. Under Sri Lankan law, according to the Evidence Ordinance, any statement amounting to a confession made to a public […]

By recommending the impeachment of a High Court judge, the Chief Justice of India has revived a dead debate concerning the Indian judiciary. On August 2, 2008 in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice recommended the impeachment of judge Soumitra Sen of Calcutta High Court. Judge Sen is accused of having […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that the two children of Dr. Afia Sidiqui, who is currently in custody in the United States on charges of assault and attempting to murder members of the American forces during her custody in Afghanistan, have been removed by Afghan and foreign forces from Bagram prison. The […]