Statement

(The following is a reply to the Daily Mirror Newspaper in response to an article entitled “Whose human rights are we talking about?” These articles may be found at the following links: http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/08/09/opinion/2.asp and http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/08/10/opinion/03.asp) The reply Who are ‘humans’? Basil Fernando – a reply to “Whose human rights are we talking about?” by Gamini Gunawardane, Rtd. Snr. […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission pays tribute to the former Attorney General, Mr. K. C. Kamalasabeyson, PC whose passing away in India was reported in the newspapers today. Mr. Kamalasabeyson, during his tenure contributed to the introduction of prosecutions on torture cases. On many occasions he also tried to take an independent stance on some […]

An attempt by the military regime in Pakistan to impose an emergency is generating considerable fear in the country. The military regime seems to be nervous about the serious changes that have resulted in the political situation due to the reinstatement of the Chief Justice, Iftekhar M. Chaudry, and moves on the part of two […]

August 9 is the international day of the indigenous people.  Several indigenous communities might not be even aware of such a day being celebrated to acknowledge, respect and protect their culture and rights. Indigenous communities across the world and their resources are being exploited by the so-called developed and urban communities and also by various […]

Where can one sell a wife, or a daughter? Sale of women and children is not a unique practice attributable to a specific geographical region. It is practiced across the globe, but mostly in clandestine deals. What makes India, particularly the state of Gujarat unique is that selling women is openly carried out there. The […]

There are many expressions of fear from many quarters about the possibility of another contempt of court action in Sri Lanka. Earlier the United Nations Human Rights Committee has made recommendations to the government to bring about a law in terms of the international norms and standards on the matter of contempt of court. The […]

(We refer to our earlier statement on this dispute which may be found at http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2007statements/1136/. We are in receipt of a reply (by email) from a subsidiary company of the Elsuma Group in Switzerland. We reproduce below this correspondence and our reply to the same.) The text of the email from CCS Elsuma Switzerland: Thomas Kaiser […]

(We reproduce below the decision of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (as received) regarding a complaint made against a Judicial Medical Officer for his failure to carry out a proper medical examination of a torture patient who was produced before him by the police and who subsequently died in prison custody). The case also came […]

A female passenger in a public bus was found bleeding from her thighs and the fellow passengers took her to hospital. At the hospital, the doctors who examined the lady found that she was wearing a chastity belt. The lady was bleeding from the injuries caused by wearing the belt. In case anyone is wondering […]

The Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police, Nur Mohammad, was quoted in various national newspapers on 22 July 2007 as accepting the poor reputation of the force and extent of political interference in policing there. “The police could not perform their duties in the past due to political interference,” the IGP reportedly told officers at […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is seriously concerned about the developments relating to CCS Elsuma (Pvt) Ltd based at Daluwakotuwa, Kochchikade (near Negombo) which has blatantly disregarded an agreement entered into with workers under the auspices of the Commissioner of Labour for the settlement of a labour dispute and further went on to threaten the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-177-2007 July 25, 2007 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Unintelligible computer “law” passed under junta’s watch On 10 June 2007 the military-appointed interim prime minister of Thailand signed into effect a new law on computer-related offences. The Computer Crime Act BE 2550 (2007), which was published in the […]

Caste based discrimination is the Indian variant of apartheid.  For decades Indians have been separated and divided according to the caste hierarchy. In spite of several laws and even Constitutional guarantees India remains largely divided along the caste lines. Caste based discrimination is omnipresent in India. It is reflected across the societal spectrum. It is […]

Last week an Inspector of Police (IP) and a Police Constable (PC) who were accused of torturing a 25 year-old woman, Angalin Roshana Michael, were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000/= in lieu of which a further one year of imprisonment would be imposed. A former Officer-in-Charge of […]

It has been two months and a few days since the new state administration took charge in Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister has openly declared that her government would not tolerate any form of caste based discrimination in the state. But so far the promises have remained just promises and no action is reflected on […]

After a man in Mettaya, upper Burma, assaulted U Than Lwin on 15 June 2007, he ran for cover in the local office of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a government-organised mass mobilising body. Police officers who came to the office were refused access, and they did not demand it, despite the fact […]

Mr. Neeraj finally decided to put an end to everything. On June 12, 2007 he consumed a large dose of poison and committed suicide. Neeraj was a handloom weaver from Benipur village in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. Neeraj’s family was in the handloom weaving industry making silk sarees. The industry by and large is […]

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Pakistan today 20 July 2007 declared the suspension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftekhar Choudry, by the president, General Pervez Musharaff, to be illegal and instructed that he be reinstated.  The Asian Human Rights Commission salutes the Supreme Court of Pakistan for this bold, upright and […]

According to an Associated Press news report, police have arrested and charged a sergeant of the Royal Thai Army who was among a gang of around 30 that assaulted three British men in Nakhon Sawan, north of Bangkok, on 19 July 2007. No reason for the assault, which reportedly left one of the three seriously […]

(This is related to the AHRC’s original appeal – WORLD: An appeal to Muslim scholars throughout the world which may be found at:http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2007statements/1111/) The Asian Human Rights Commission is very much encouraged by the responses to its appeal to the Muslim scholars on July 9, 2007 on the issues relating to Rizana Nafeek’s case. We […]