Statement

  Despite the slow crackdown on corruption in India, the two recent incidents of assault upon human rights and right to information activists in the country reiterates the fear that fighting corruption is suicidal in India. Of the two incidents, one is reported from Jharkhand and the other from Rajasthan. In Jharkhand, criminals abducted Mr. […]

As the International Day for Women is celebrated today it is only fitting to give some thought the major areas of concern regarding women’s rights in Sri Lanka. One of the most disheartening aspects of the treatment of women in Sri Lanka is the utter neglect about the cases of rape and harassment. The Asian […]

The International Women’s Day is the opportunity to celebrate women’s rights and empowerment. However, it is also the time to reflect on how the rights on paper and the statistics comply with the everyday life of the women. In Sri Lanka the day is officially celebrated at a ceremony convened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa under […]

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of the International Women’s Day For 100 years now, a strong struggle for equal rights between genders has been taking place in the world. International women’s day is the opportunity to celebrate women’s economic, political and social achievements. It is the day to acknowledge […]

Pakistan, the Asian Human Rights Commission and the world at large has lost a great advocate in the cause of human rights in general and religious minorities in particular by the brutal assassination of Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, the Federal Minister for Religious Minorities. Mr. Bhatti, the only Christian minister, was shot to death while traveling […]

A prominent human rights defender from Balochistan province, working on the cases of disappeared persons was shot dead by unknown persons riding on a motorbike. Mr. Naeem Sabir Baloch, the district coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an NGO, was gunned down on March 1, 2011 in Khuzdar market, Khuzdar district, Balochistan. […]

A Joint Statement by numerous NGOs from around the world, including the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) LIBYA: NGOs call for Libya’s suspension from the Human Rights Council As nongovernmental organizations from all regions of the world working in the field of human rights, we call upon the United Nations General Assembly to immediately suspend […]

One of the fishermen who returned after to Sri Lanka after being captured by Somali pirates described to the BBC Sinhala Service how the Sri Lankan government had done nothing to assist or save those who were captured. The man reported that he had learned that the Foreign Affairs Ministry officers had said, “Nothing can […]

In an astounding ruling that underscores the extent to which the judiciary in Burma has abdicated its authority in favour of the security services, a Supreme Court justice has ruled that permission or refusal of observers to attend trial hearings held inside prison facilities is not a matter for the presiding judges to decide. The […]

Myrna Reblando’s reaction demonstrates the absence of remedy within the system of justice not a mere ‘hysteria’.   Facts of the case & details of the video   As described and shown in the video of Philstar.com: Victim’s kin goes hysterical at Maguindanao massacre trial   February 03, 2011   MANILA, Philippines — Today’s hearing of […]

Devarathnam Yogendra ( 28 ) is the complainant in a bribery case against IP Wijesuriya of the Hatton Police Station, who has been indicted on a charge of obtaining bribes. This charge has been filed on the basis of a complaint made by Yogendra on November 6, 2007 and it is alleged that a decoy […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has consistently reported in the recent weeks on the issue of the government’s refusal to take action on the incitement to murder and civil disobedience by religious extremists. Several high profile cases have been reported on both matters by the AHRC and other international NGOs, however, the government has […]

Last week, the Attorney General (AG) agreed to withdraw charges of murder and the causing of grievous hurt against four people who had been accused and charged before the Colombo High Court. The accused agreed to plead guilty for the charge of unlawful assembly, their third and final charge. The accused allegedly caused the murder […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-028-2011 February 8, 2011 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDONESIA: Religious violence result of authorities consent in past cases The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges a full investigation into the killings of at least three followers of the Ahamadiyah Islamic minority sect that occurred on Sunday February 6, […]

The phenomenon of forced disappearance is not well understood outside of the countries in which it takes place. Imagine that police take your spouse or relative without observing any protocol for arrest and detention, offering no explanation and no information about where he will be taken. The next day, he is simply gone. Leaks trickle […]

The human rights movement of Pakistan is heartened by the directives of the five-member-bench of the Supreme Court to the Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) to furnish full details of the cases of missing persons registered in their respective provinces. The court also ordered the IGPs to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) for those cases […]

Sri Lanka will be celebrating its independence from the British Empire on February 4, 2011. The lamentation that independence has not meant a great deal to the people of Sri Lanka is commonly heard. However, the causes that created this situation have often not been examined. The very meaning of independence for citizens of any […]

The attempt by the military government of Burma to introduce a law which is entitled Public Military Service Law is quite disturbing. The assessment of the move by the military regime which has now established a parliament which is basically controlled by the military itself. The question is as to why they are moving towards the compulsory […]

We, civil society organizations from across the world, strongly urge all governments, as well as regional and international organizations, to clearly and unequivocally denounce the ongoing violent crackdown against the public protests and demands for democratic reform and government accountability that have been occurring across Egypt since the 25th of January.  The Egyptian government has […]

A case of blasphemy has been registered against 17-year-old Syed Samiullah, an intermediate student and resident of Mujtaba Colony Malir Halt. The charge was registered in the Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan Police Station, Karachi, Sindh province. The incident was reported to the police by Professor Agha Akbar, the controller of examinations of the Intermediate Board of Education, […]