Statement

The failure to prosecute the army personnel who shot dead two women and a child in Bardiya National Park in March 2010 proves once again that impunity is more the rule than an exception concerning human rights violations in Nepal. In a previous urgent appeal, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had called for a thorough […]

As co-petitioners in a Public Interest Litigation before the Supreme Court (WP 250/2007) urging the end of civil strife in Chattisgarh, we write to express our shock and horror at the detonation of a bus in Dantewada district by Maoists on 17th May, killing around 50 innocent civilians. We condemn such senseless and inhuman violence […]

On May 18th, 2010 South Korea celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Gwangju uprising against the military dictatorship of the then President, Mr. Chun Do-Whan. The manner in which the people of Gwangju city, consisting of around 730,000 people at that time, rose up against the military take-over by the President of South Korea in […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from The News International about a revolting story of a 13 year-old girl, who was continuously gang-raped, mentally, and physically tortured by police officials during 21 days of illegal detention. After finding that she was pregnant, the policemen produced her before a Session court under false charges. […]

These days, there is a great deal of discussion about what is autochthonous, what is indigenous and what is homegrown. Contemporary discussion on the proposed commission for reconciliations and lessons learned according to the Minister for the Media will be an indigenous one. During the last three to four decades, Sri Lanka has experimented with […]

The BBC Sinhala Service reported today of a press conference held by the Minister of Media, Keheliya Rambukwella. At this press conference he was questioned on the announcement by the government about a commission for reconciliation and lessons learned. He was questioned as to whether the commission will be something like the Truth and Reconciliation […]

We have cautiously welcomed the announcement by the Presidential Media Unit about the appointment of a commission of inquiry into the recent conflict from the perspective of restorative justice. In our second statement we have also indicated other experiences where credible attempts have been made into the study of past wrongdoings with the idea of […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received a report of the torture of six persons from a Christian family by officials of the Pakistan Air Force. The arrest and torture continued for a period of 18 days and was due to the suspicion that they had stolen gold ornaments from the house of a […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-072-2010 May 7, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: A new commission for restorative justice to deal with difficult past practices of abuse and violence The communiqué from the Presidential Media Unit announcing a probe into the violations of internationally accepted norms of conduct has incorporated several […]

The AHRC cautiously welcomes the announcement of the appointment of a commission to probe violations of internationally accepted norms of conduct during the final stages of the conflict and the circumstances that may have led to such actions and identify any persons or groups responsible for such acts. Despite of the fact that the obvious […]

According to a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper today (May 4, 2010) there are moves to bring the Attorney General’s Department under the direct control of the president. A gazetted notice to this effect is expected to be released soon. The exact meaning on how the department is to be brought under the president […]

from the May 18 Memorial Foundation in South Korea.   Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong   ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   AHRC-FST-033-2010 May 01, 2010   An Announcement from The May 18 Memorial Foundation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission SOUTH KOREA: 2010 Gwangju     Announcement for 2010 Gwangju   The Gwangju […]

A few days ago a large group of people protested at Annamaduwa against the officers of the local police stations against the killing of one of the young people from the village. No one has been arrested for this killing and the villagers protested against the impunity that has been assured to the police. The […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-067-2010 April 27, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: The IGP must explain the circumstances of Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda’s disappearance Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda, a journalist, disappeared on the 4th January, 2010 and despite enormous efforts made by his family and friends, media groups and human rights organisations locally and […]

A man named Murad Khan Marri was arrested near his house on June 27, 2009. Since then he was kept incommunicado in secret detention and was thought to have disappeared. His name was entered into the official list of missing persons. On March 27th 2010 the Frontier Corp claimed that he had been arrested trying […]

Murad Khan Marri, 45, who was held incommunicado on two occasions, first, for a period of nine months after he was arrested by the Frontier Corp (FC), for the murder of Chinese engineers, holding Indian currency and keeping explosive material, has again been disappeared while in the custody of FC. He has now been produced […]

When the military government of Burma passed five new laws and four bylaws during March in preparation for planned elections later this year, it attracted a lot of interest, discussion and analysis in the global media. The only place where the media did not pick up the story was in Burma, or Myanmar, itself. Aside […]

This evening, April 21, there are many disturbing reports of a possible new attack to disperse anti-government protestors that have continued to assemble in Bangkok, calling for the unelected premier, Abhisit Vejjajiva, to step down and for new elections to be held. There are grave and legitimate fears that further violence is imminent and that […]

The government of Burma has set down conditions for the forming of political parties that would have people associate in order to participate in anticipated elections, but nowhere is the right to associate guaranteed. While parties are required to have at least a thousand members to enlist for the national election–500 for regional assemblies–a host […]

Elaris Fernando of Kandana is a special friend of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). He passed away today, April 14, after suffering from worm illness. In 2002, when his grandson was tortured by a group of policemen at the Kandana police station, Elaris Fernando began a fight seeking justice against such behaviour. His fight […]