Statement

Sixth months after the disappearance of her husband, Prageeth Eknaligoda, Sanya Ekaneligoda and her son held religious ceremonies at the famous Kalli Amma Kovil, a Hindu temple at Modara, Colombo on 24 June. Mrs. Eknaligoda prayed to supernatural forces for help in finding the whereabouts of her husband who disappeared on the 24th January 2010. […]

On two occasions the United Nations Human Rights Committee has viewed that the GoSL has abused contempt of court laws The Human Rights Committee of the United Nations has found that the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has abused its contempt of court powers in the case of Anthony Michael Emmanuel Fernando (CCPR/C/83/D/1189/2003—29th April, 2005). […]

On 5 November 2010, Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila, a Manipuri poet and human rights defender, will complete ten years of her indefinite hunger strike in Imphal, Manipur state. Sharmila started her fast on 5 November 2000, the day infamous for the Malom massacre in Manipur. On that day, the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary unit stationed […]

Nepal’s politics is reeling under frequent changes but the alarming governmental lethargy regarding the issue of caste-based discrimination seems to be a constant, barely affected by the evolution of the political scene. As the major parties now aspire to lead the government it is time for them to properly address the issue of Dalits, which, […]

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Nishanthi, 42 is a housewife with two children and a husband who works as a veterinary assistant in Korea. Two years ago she joined a support group run by a local human rights organization, and […]

Mr. Mohammad Iqbal Awan, who was kept in an army torture cell by Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) officials for five years, announced that he will commit suicide along with his wife and child on August 14, on Independence Day of Pakistan, if the government and Pakistan army do not rehabilitate him and his family. After […]

Bihar is one of India’s most impoverished states; it is also India’s most lawless region. From the point of view of crime it has reached the Situation where many local citizens are leaving the area for reasons of security. Abductions for ransom is now commonplace. With the increase in crime, forms of extrajudicial punishment have […]

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. A Retired Lady Police Sergeant Talks About Policing In Sri Lanka Seetha Kumarasinghe, a fifty six year old retired lady police sergeant, a Sinhalese from Mathale made the following statement, answering questions posed to her. […]

This week an incident was reported from Eppawala where a couple and their two children, a son and daughter between 14 -15 years of age were murdered in the most brutal fashion. Their bodies were found only after their neighbours complained to the police about the foul smell emanating from their home. Their bodies were […]

The two prominent Baloch political leaders have been assassinated within three days by unknown assailants riding on motorbikes. It is alleged by the political and nationalist groups of the province that they were killed by law enforcement agencies to take revenge from the people of Balochistan for demanding greater autonomy. Balochistan province is still in […]

The endless chain of cases that are being filed against Sarath Fonseka, a Sri Lankan citizen and a Member of Parliament who is also known as the most vocal opponent of the ruling regime, is a mockery of the entire process of justice and the justice system itself. Very recently the word ‘maranthika upawasaya’ (a […]

The incident reported from Kerala state about the attack upon a college professor by a gang of eight persons on 4 July in Moovatupuzha, is yet another wakeup call for India. A criminal gang attacked Professor T. J. Joseph, a teacher at the Newman College in Thodupuzha, when he was returning home from church. Since […]

The purpose of reforms should be to eradicate the defects that exist at present, in the police. The main defects are that the system of criminal investigations is based on primitive methodologies and the use of torture is an inherent part of such investigations, therefore the elimination of the use of torture and the development […]

The purpose of reforms should be to eradicate the defects that exist at present, in the police. The main defects are that the system of criminal investigations is based on primitive methodologies and the use of torture is an inherent part of such investigations, therefore the elimination of the use of torture and the development […]

The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the passing of the Prevention of Torture Bill 2010 by the Lok Sabha. The Bill to become a law will require it to be passed by the Rajya Sabha, before it is send to the President of India for assent.  The ALRC is of the […]

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Sri Lanka–A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture Sarani Fernando is a lawyer living in Negombo. She has been active in human rights work for about ten years. She made following comments in […]

Rana Maqbool Ahmed is a former Inspector General of Police of Sindh province and has been accused of the torture of and conspiracy to kill President Zadari when he was imprisoned in 1999. Rana has been absconding court and the Additional District Sessions Court, Karachi, capital of Sindh province, has issued a warrant for his […]

In an announcement dated 29 June 2010 posted on its website, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand responding to an open letter of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the reported shackling of detainees under the state of emergency imposed via the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, B.E. 2548 (2005) wrote […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AHRC-STM-140-2010 July 5, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: Indian worker killed by A CID Chief Inspector for refusing to work 16 hours a day Thenarasu Selvarage was an Indian worker who was brought to Sri Lanka to work as a cook at an Indian restaurant. His […]

An interview conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC. Sri Lanka–A woman speaks out against bad policing and torture Chathuri Tharangani is a 25 year old sociology graduate at the University of Kelaniya. In the following interview she expresses her views on policing in […]