Statement

A Joint Statement by the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) in Indonesia and the Asian Human Rights Commission   On December 23, 2010 the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance entered into force with Iraq becoming the 20th state to ratify the convention on November 23, […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has once again written to the Western Embassies in Saudi Arabia to request their intervention in the case of Rizana Nafeek. Following is the text of the letter: Your Excellency, You will remember the appeal by the Asian Human Rights Commission regarding the young Sri Lankan house maid facing the […]

A group of 85 persons have been in detention in Bangkok since December 14, 2010 despite the fact that they are already registered as asylum seekers with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangkok. Of the 85 persons, 17 of them have reportedly had their applications accepted and have been granted refugee status. […]

On 21 January 2011 at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok, representatives of all parties involved in the criminal proceedings in the case of the 12 March 2004 forcible disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit gathered expecting to hear the verdict of the Appeal Court concerning the conviction of one out of […]

The premises of Lanka E-News, a well know website which has suffered several attacks in recent times has been set on fire in the early morning of January 31. According to reports the equipment and the premises where the website was maintained has been destroyed. Previously the editor of this website was constantly attacked and […]

On Tuesday, Nepal’s human rights record was reviewed for the first time under the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR process was established by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 through resolution 60/251 to “review the fulfilment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments.” […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-017-2011 January 27, 2011 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDIA: US can help Indians in seeking justice A ‘default order’ issued by a District Court in the United States against Union Minister Mr. Kamal Nath has once again brought the question of sovereign and diplomatic immunity into domestic and […]

With sentences between 9 and 12 months imprisonment for disobeying orders, a military court in Jayapura, Papua gave an outrageous verdict on January 24, 2011 in a case of severe torture. Tuanliwor Kiwo, an indigenous Papuan was tortured for 3 days in June 2010. He was detained by personnel of the Kwanggok Nalime military post […]

The case of the disappearance of a master tailor exposes how the army is involved and the weaknesses of the judicial system The Asian Human Rights Commission has received the details of the saga of disappearance of a master tailor who was arrested on two occasions by army personnel and how since October 2001 his […]

The integrity of a republic and the determination of its people depend upon the legitimacy of their government. Since declaring the Union of India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic that assures its citizens justice, equality, and liberty and to be a nation that endeavours to promote among them all fraternity, 61 years […]

It has been reported that four persons were killed at the Anuradhapura Prison after a shooting incident. According to the details reported a group of prisoners had been engaged in a fast in order to call attention to their problems. They had been fasting for a few days and the negotiations between the prison authorities […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has obtained a copy of an open letter in which a senior legal expert in Burma has alleged that police drugged his client during interrogation. The signed letter of 20 January 2011 by U Aung Thein asks, “Does the law permit the feeding of amphetamines in investigation of political cases?” […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) sends it sincere condolences to the family of Gerry Ortega, a broadcast journalist and mining activist. He was shot dead at a market place while buying clothes in Puerto Princesa City yesterday, January 24. The policemen present in the area reportedly arrested the gunman, Malvin Alcaraz, after the shooting. […]

The Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association, in an extraordinary general body meeting held yesterday, resolved to request the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India to undertake an investigation about the charges of corruption alleged against the former Chief Justice of India, Mr. K. G. Balakrishnan and the members of his family. The resolution […]

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, 2010 and it is alleged that the police […]

A YouTube presentation recently found on the internet shows Mumtaz Quadri, the assassin of the slain governor, Salman Taseer, singing in the custody of the police during his interrogation. The officers are seen standing by and sitting next to him, enjoying the performance. Quadri was reciting ‘Naat’, a poem in praise of the Prophet Mohammad, […]

The act of solidarity by Egyptian Muslims towards Egyptian Copts is a glowing example for countries and communities around the world. And it must be particularly noted that Pakistan could be one of the main beneficiaries of this attitude. As Egyptian Copts prepared to attend mass at churches across the country, thousands of Muslims, including […]

The parents of Justice Javed Iqbal, a judge of the Supreme Court were killed on Tuesday night in a well guarded area of Lahore. Justice Javed Iqbal is heading a three-member bench which is hearing the cases of disappearances of thousands of missing persons in Pakistan. On Monday, January 10, the day before the killings, […]

We reproduce below a reply received from the Webmaster (who has refused identify himself) relating to the correspondence which we have published earlier, which does not answer any of the questions posed earlier by the Asian Human Rights Commission and Mr. Fernando himself. Mr. Fernando has therefore responded to this reply as follows. The email […]

No action has been taken against the high ranking police officials responsible for hiring the killer of Salman Taseer and for allowing him to be a part of the assassinated governor’s security detail. Similarly, no questions have so far been raised amongst the killer’s colleagues, including the high police officials, about how they listened to […]