Administration of justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 5, 2005 AS-002-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) SRI LANKA: Six years after Chemmani exhumation: Inquiry commission needed to review attorney general’s department Pending indictments being filed at a high court, the case of the Chemmani mass graves was called before a magistrate’s court this week to […]

Former presidents of Sri Lanka, JR Jayawardene, R Premadasa and C Kumaratunga are well known for their authoritarian operation of the executive presidency, therein crippling the country’s most vital public authorities. Jayawardene and Premadasa aimed for direct control over all public authorities. Kumaratunga, who came to power with promises of change, continued this tradition even […]

The past two weeks saw Hong Kong become a theatre in which the conflict between free trade and human rights played out very visibly, with broadcast and other media conveying the interventions of all those involved in this conflict: namely, those inside the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference, and those outside on the streets.  […]

Dear Mr. De Silva, I am writing this letter in response to newspaper reports concerning a speech that you have made on the right to life, where you claimed that there are ‘improvements in the field of human rights.’ Unfortunately, I have not had the benefit of seeing your complete speech. However, I have no […]

Serious doubts and suspicions have arisen about the investigation into the attempted arson of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka offices in Colombo, on October 11, 2005. Despite significant local and international pressure, two months after the arson attempt no one has yet been arrested or brought to court for this serious crime […]

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing… UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears […]

[RE: UA-164-2004: The family receives death threats for demanding an impartial inquiry into the death of Munir; UP-30-2005: Unveiling of suspect in Munir’s death may end further inquiries; UP-47-2005: State intelligence officers delay Munir investigation; UP-72-2005: Mandate of fact-finding team into Munir’s murder should be extended and made more effective; UP-83-2005: Police fail to follow […]

[RE: UA-153-2004: THAILAND: Two cases of extremely serious torture and cruel and inhuman treatment by Thai police officers; UP-71-2004: THAILAND: More serious allegations of police torture emerge in Thailand; UP-75-2004: THAILAND: Demand immediate criminal action against police torturers; UP-78-2004: THAILAND: Torture cases transferred to special investigators, but police still free] —————————————————————————– UP-157-2005: THAILAND: Alleged tortured […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2005 AS-123-2005 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: DSI must promptly and assertively answer the question “Where is Somchai?” December 1 was the last day in the trial hearings at the Bangkok Criminal Court over the alleged abduction and subsequent disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit […]

[RE: UA-112-2004: BURMA: Complaints against forced labour blocked and victims punished issued on 3 September 2004; UP-11-2005: BURMA: Four officials sentenced to prison for forced labour in Kawmhu Township, Yangon Division; UP-63-2005: BURMA: Local officials seek revenge against villager who obtained first successful forced labour prosecution; UP-68-2005: BURMA: Preliminary hearing against villager who obtained first […]

The killings continue.  And no solution is in sight Today, there is complete impunity in the Philippines.  An average of one militant is killed every week.   Seven lawyers have been killed since January this year while nine journalist have so far fallen from assassins’ bullets.  In many of these cases,  no suspects were arrested nor […]

[RE: UP-43-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Questions remain in Sri Lanka’s willingness to save three of its citizens; UP-39-2005: Three Sri Lankans face imminent execution in Saudi Arabia; UP-38-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Please send a letter to the King of Saudi Arabia urging his intervention to commute the death sentence of three Sri Lankans; UP-34-2005: Death […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received further information regarding the case of the five men who were beaten to death by a mob of villagers after they were suspected of having stolen motorcycles in Barasat, West Bengal on 2 October 2005. According to the latest information received, the dead bodies of […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation in West Bengal about the arrest and detention of Mr. Samir Dutta of Kalyangarh Kalitala Police Station, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal, India on mistaken identity.  The victim was taken into custody and further tortured brutally forcing him to admit […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding 73 workers from the Orex Factory in Ekala, Jaela, Sri Lanka, who were unlawfully dismissed after the owner arbitrarily closed down the factory in 2002. The AHRC previously reported that the owner, Mohamed Mohamed Izzath deprived his workers of the Employees Trust […]

One of the most important legal challenges to the impunity of Thailand’s police in recent years is rapidly degenerating into a farce, thanks in large part to the inept and pathetic role played by the public prosecution.  On Thursday, November 3, the case against five police officers in the Bangkok Criminal Court in connection with […]

The life of an average citizen in the Philippines these days is beset with fear. Even the expression “rule of law” evokes cynical reactions among ordinary folk, as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo uses the very same expression to justify blatant and brutal repression.  Sloganeering about anti-terrorism and anti-crime drives is used as a weapon to subdue […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information stating that the main suspect in the alleged rape incident of a female passenger in transit to Kuwait, at the Bandaranaike International Airport (please view our urgent appeal on this case UA-183-2005), Sri Lanka was identified on 28 October 2005 at an identification parade before […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the resolution adopted by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) to introduce a . BASL appointed a committee comprising a former chief justice and two former Supreme Court judges to draft this code of conduct.  This move by BASL answers a dire need in the country. It deserves […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) inquiries reveal that no progress has thus far been made by officials investigating the attempted arson of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka headquarters on October 12, 2005. Eight days have now passed and immediate and effective action is required as a matter of urgency. AHRC has […]