Statement

This story is not only my story. Many other Dalit human rights activists have the same experience as me. When I talked about my life with other Dalits human rights defenders in Gujarat, we realised that we all had the same experience in our life. This is the first time I am sharing the experiences […]

The New Age, a Dhaka-based national English daily, has published a report yesterday (26 June 2008) quoting a former General of Bangladesh Army, who has launched a political party during the ongoing State of Emergency in the country.  According to the report, Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, a retired army General, said in a joint press briefing […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-180-2008 June 27, 2008 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission  SOUTH KOREA: Government’s failure to realise people’s health A public announcement on the agreement on the import of beef between the Korean government and the United States of America was postponed after the government faced continuing protest from people. There […]

Mr. Elmore Perera, a 74-year-old lawyer who has devoted most of his time to public interest litigation was suspended yesterday, 26th June from his practice for seven years by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, which issued a rule against him on the basis of purported contempt of court. The use of contempt of court […]

June 26th was the United Nation’s Day in . As far as Sri Lanka is concerned the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights did nothing to commemorate this day. Instead the statements from the spokesman for the ministry manifested the usual lack of political will to deal with the issue of torture. The attitude […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) At the seventh session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2008, the ambassador of Thailand, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said in response to a statement by the Asian Legal Resource Centre that, “First, I wish to point […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) Giasuddin Mandol is an iron scrap dealer from the North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal. On August 2, 2007, at about 7:30 p.m., the subinspector of police at the Deganga police station, Ayub Ali, took Mandol […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) Nepal successfully held the Constituent Assembly (CA) election on April 10th, 2008 and was declared a Secular, Federal Democratic Republic by the Constituent Assembly of Nepal on May 28th. It is a significant milestone in Nepal’s history […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) Pakistan signed the Convention against Torture and other cruel, Inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment (CAT) on April 17, 2008, along with ratification of the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It also signed […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) Article III, Section 12 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution clearly prohibits the use of torture. Although the country¡¦s Constitution has long protected its citizens against torture, any person claiming a violation of this constitutional right has […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-172-2008 June 25, 2008 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Day against Torture INDONESIA: International review pointed out country’s torture problem (June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) In the second week of […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) The UN declared 26 June as International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in 1997 in order to increase support for victims of torture in countries across the globe.  Many states, thereafter, have come forward to […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.) Torture is a way of life at all police stations in Sri Lanka, whether the alleged crimes investigated are those relating to petty criminal offences, serious crimes or offenses under the emergency and anti terrorism laws. Assault […]

(June 26 is observed every year as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.)  In the second half of the 1970s the Cambodian people experienced among the worst cases of systematic torture in the history of mankind when they were living under the Khmer Regime. In 1992, after the ouster of […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission appreciates and welcomes the announcement by the new government of Pakistan to commute . The AHRC hopes that the government of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani will abolish the law which allows capital punishment by hanging. On the occasion of birthday anniversary of Ms. Benazir Bhutto, the assassinated former […]

On Thursday (19 June 2008) the media of Bangladesh reported on a survey conducted by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The survey highlights the rampant corruption in the country. The TIB released its report on the “National Household Survey 2007 on Corruption in Bangladesh” at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday. Quoting the […]

The following is the first part of the interview with Mr. Kantilal Ukabhai, a Dalit human rights activist from India. The interview was done by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) at Hong Kong. Kantilal is currently associated with the Navsarjan, a reputed human rights organisation in Gujarat state, India. Kantilal could be reached at parmar.kantilal@gmail.com  […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a copy of a petition written by 92 lawyers practicing in Kandy complaining of a serious obstacle to their practice. Furthermore, the right of litigants to select the lawyers of their choice has been interfered with due to a small group of lawyers who engage in touting […]

The government’s response to human rights violations in Sri Lanka, such as torture, extrajudicial killings and attacks on media personnel is that they are definitely concerned about it, but are unable to prevent it due to the lack of technical assistance, meaning money and experts, from the western countries. The government does not want criticism […]

The authorities in India appear to be becoming paranoid about human rights work in the country. For a country that spares no venue to boast about its justice mechanisms, domestic laws and its commitments towards the promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights not only within the country but also outside, this is a noticeable […]