Statement

SRI LANKA: The mother’s appeal for saving the life of Sudeshkar facing the death sentence in Qatar

Mangala Samy Pungonda, the mother of Wengadasalam Sudeshkar yesterday, February 19, appealed for the final sum of Rs. 600,000/= (approximately US$ 5,000) for the saving of her son’s life from execution in Doha, Qatar. She thanked those who have already contributed to the raising of the sum of Rs. 3.5 Million and said that about […]

PAKISTAN: Sectarian killings — the nexus between Saudi Arabia and the army of Pakistan is now being openly discussed

The Asian Human Rights Commission strongly protests the murders of members of the Hazaras Shia community. A series of bombings in Hazaras town, Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, claimed many lives, all of them members of the Shia Community. This recent blast on February 17 is the second one. The first one took place […]

INDIA: Democracy a charade when the home minister runs weapons, money, and hooch

Statement | India | 18-02-2013

Mr. Imkong Imchen, the Home Minister of Nagaland, a state in the north-eastern region of India will have tough time explaining why he was traveling with weapons, ammunition, alcohol and money estimated to be more than Rupees 10 million, from his constituency Koridang to the state capital Kohima. The Assam Rifles, a paramilitary unit of […]

WORLD: The final call for assistance in the case Wengadasalam Sudeshkar — US$ 6,000 is still needed for the payment of blood money

Statement | World | 14-02-2013

The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned from the mother of Wengadasalam Sudeshkar that so far, the family has been able to raise Rs. 2,800.000-/= (Rs. 2.8 Million) out of the total requested amount of Rs. 3.5 Million. This amount has been raised by the family selling whatever they could from their already extremely meager […]

PAKISTAN: Prominent human rights defenders are targets of assassination

Two prominent lawyers and a well known human rights defender have been assassinated in target killings on February 2, 2013. Mr. Malik Jarrar 47, a Supreme Court lawyer, was shot dead in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Paktoonkha province by unknown persons, riding a motorcycle. He was on his way to pick up his two […]

PAKISTAN: Religious extremists attempt to create a bloodbath in Sindh province by the use of false blasphemy charges against Shiites

Though the police have exonerated all five persons falsely accused of committing blasphemy they have failed to take any actions for their protection. This is particularly important as no action whatsoever has been taken against their accusers who are members of the militant Ahle Sunnat Waljamat. Regrettably this is another example of the policy of […]

SRI LANKA: The murder of a chief monk and execution-style killings of two persons — the social implications

The chief monk of Sunandonanda of Egodauyana, Moratuwa was assassinated by a group of persons on the evening of February 4. According to reports there had been a prolonged dispute over a piece of land that the chief monk claimed he had the title for where a number of families had erected their huts. They […]

INDIA: Police officers run human trafficking cartel

28 police officers from the Kerala State police is accused of running a human trafficking cartel in the state. This felonious syndicate run by police officers is linked with international criminal cartels that supply women, children, and men. It is estimated that about 300 victims have been trafficked out of India by this criminal gang. […]

WORLD: Reissue of the appeal for financial aid to save the life of Wengadasalam Sudeshkar facing the death sentence in Qatar

Statement | World | 06-02-2013

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received many responses from concerned persons in several countries regarding the appeal we made on behalf of Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar. Several persons have indicated to us that they are contacting friends and well-wishers to assist in the saving of this young man’s life. The Asian Human Rights Commission has […]

SRI LANKA: The beheading of Rizana Nafeek is symbolic of the powerless citizenry – all Sri Lankans are in chains

Share| The 65th Anniversary of the independence of Sri Lanka occurs today and all that we are reminded of is the loss of the liberties of the people of the country. Perhaps the heroine to be remembered at this time is Rizana Nafeek who was 17-years-old when she left Sri Lanka to find employment in […]

PAKISTAN: Government must ensure the safe recovery of four abducted human rights defenders

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the abduction of four human rights defenders in broad daylight by persons said to be from an outlawed religious organization. The unknown armed persons abducted six workers of a NGO including, two lady workers. However, after some time they threw the two women out of the vehicle and […]

SRI LANKA: Some Reflections on the Outdated Notion of Parliamentary Supremacy

During the recent controversies on the impeachment of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, the view has been taken quite strongly by parliamentarians of both the government and the opposition that the orders of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal (S.C.Reference No. 312012/C.A.(Writ) Application No.35812012, 01.01.2013, 07. 01. 2003) issued against the proceedings […]

AHRC-STM-031-2013

This statement was written based on the information given by daughter of the person concerned. The daughter sought our help by calling us several times. Now, the family has no interest in the matter, so we remove it from the web. We, however, stand by the authenticity of the publication based on the source mentioned […]

WORLD: Seeking financial aid to save 22-year-old Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar from execution in Qatar

An appeal: Earlier, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed the public in Sri Lanka and abroad about the possibility of yet another person being beheaded in the Middle East like the earlier incident of Ms. Rizana Nafeek. Mr. Wengadasalam Sudeshkar was sentenced to death on December 31, 2012. At the time of the incident […]

SRI LANKA: The gang rape near Colombo, peoples’ sovereignty and the absence of protest

A 45 year-old woman was gang raped in the early hours of January 23 in Wijerama, Nugegoda (some reports give her age as 47). This gruesome incident only received a few lines in some of the newspapers and in the media. Yet a similar incident that occurred in New Delhi, India, when a medical student […]

INDIA: Promise of a republic yet to be realised

Before the world, along with Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said as chief guest, and presided over by the President of India, Honourable Pranab Mukherjee, India will celebrate its Republic Day tomorrow. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) congratulates India and the people of this great nation on the 64th year of constituting […]

THAILAND: Verdict in case of human rights defender is a serious threat to freedom of expression

On January 23, 2013, the Criminal Court in Bangkok read the verdict in Black Case No. O.2962/2554, in which Somyot Prueksakasemsuk was charged with two violations of Article 112 of the Criminal Code.  Somyot Prueksakasemsuk is a long-time labour rights activist and human rights defender. Somyot was prosecuted in relation to two articles published in Voice […]

INDIA: Stop blaming the judiciary for government’s failures

Statement | India | 21-01-2013

Speaking at a function held in Kolkata yesterday, the President of India, Honourable Pranab Mukherjee has asked the country’s judiciary to: “ensure that those who are in the wrong side of the law are dealt with swiftly and effectively to maintain social balance.” Iterating further, Mukherjee said: “though the Indian judiciary has preserved its pre-eminent […]

SRI LANKA: Romesh de Silva PC, Jayampathi Wickremarathna PC, MA Sumanthiran MP and JC Weliamuna (a senior lawyer) receive threatening letters

Romesh de Silva PC is one of the topmost lawyers in Sri Lanka, a former president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. He led the legal team which represented Dr. Shirani Bandaranayaka (CJ) in all forums during the impeachment saga. Jayampathi Wickremarathna PC, who was formerly the senior consultant in the Constitutional Affairs Ministry […]

PAKISTAN: The issue that the Supreme Court can supervise investigations is contentious especially in view of the ‘Right to Fair Trial’

The political frictions generating from the overreach of the Supreme Court will be far more damaging to Pakistan and its people than any gains which may be made during the investigations under the supervision of the Supreme Court The statement of the Asian Human Rights Commission on the orders of the Supreme Court for the arrest of […]