Administration of justice

SRI LANKA : Media Statement by the Organisation for a Just Society

We reproduce below a media statement by the Organization for a Just Society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG_BPqDkQ2whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG_BPqDkQ2whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG_BPqDkQ2w The views shared in this statement do not necessarily reflect that of the AHRC.

AHRC TV: Marking International Human Rights Day and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 151

This week Just Asia focuses on international human rights day, celebrated annually on December 10. It commemorates the day on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. The UN theme for this year’s Human Rights Day is ‘Stand up for someone’s rights today!’ At a time when intolerance and violence is […]

ASIA: Cannot remove hunger without functioning public institutions

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day The year 2016 has proved to be a difficult year in terms of food and livelihood security for the poor and marginalized communities across Asia. There have even been reverses in food security of the people in countries like Sri […]

NEPAL: Unceasing choreography of injustice

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Just like 2015 and the years prior, 2016 has been no different in terms of human rights, rule of law, and functioning of justice institutions in Nepal. Rather, the legacy of human rights and justice institution collapse has remained intact, […]

THAILAND: Military regime must go

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw attention to the situation in Thailand on this momentous day, December 10, which is observed as Human Rights Day. Unfortunately, in Thailand, the day will be eclipsed by the Military regime […]

INDONESIA: Two years under Widodo and rights protection still weak

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Commemorating Human Rights Day every December 10 reminds us of the importance of human rights protection, which is still lacking in Indonesia. In the last two years, under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has observed […]

INDIA: Neither democracy nor justice as core values

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day The incumbent government has pushed the people to one of the worst living conditions they have faced in recent collective and individual memory. Millions of Indians are repeatedly queuing up before banks and currency dispensing machines, struggling to withdraw legitimately […]

BANGLADESH: Aspirations for democracy and the rule of law cannot be defeated by authoritarianism

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Bangladesh’s incumbent government, its law-enforcement agencies, and its Judiciary, complement each other in maintaining the spree of gross human rights abuses. They have operated in tandem to intensify the pattern of human rights violations to a new level in the […]

SRI LANKA: AG asked to appeal from a Judgement of the Puttalam High Court as the decision amounts to a miscarriage of justice

[December 8, 2016] On September 2003 a 15 years old boy complained of torture by officers of the Saliyawewa Police Station alleging that officers made him sit on ant hill, for about 20 minutes and thereafter was hung from a beam with his hands tied behind his back with a rope, and beaten him accusing him […]

PAKISTAN: Investigate the raid and harassment at Ahmadiyya Headquarters

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab, having raided the headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Community, a minority religious group, declared non-Muslim by the Constitution. During the raid, the officers manhandled and tortured persons, made four arrests, registered cases against 9, and confiscated […]

PHILIPPINES: Drug-related killings must stop and the perpetrators should be held accountable

A Statement from Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. Karapatan today joined RISE UP!, a campaign initiated by faith-based groups, institutions and people’s organizations against the drug menace and for the protection of human and people’s rights against drug-related extrajudicial killings, in a protest action in […]

INDONESIA: Three Sukamulya villagers released on bail; many still suffer trauma

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information provided by the Land Reform Commission (KPA), a national NGO documenting land conflicts,regarding the current legal status of three residents of Sukamulya Village, Kertajati Sub-district, Majalengka Regent, West Java Province. They were detained on17 November 2016 and have finally just been granted bail. […]

INDIA: Maoist insurgency and State response, a zero-sum game

Statement | India | 05-12-2016

The Maoist movement in India, which allegedly claims it will uproot the Indian State by an armed insurrection, has brought organised and armed violence to the remotest countryside in higher number and intensity. The ongoing conflict has brought the State and Maoist firepower into the daily lives of some of the most marginalised of the […]

AHRC TV: Rohingya abuse may be ‘crimes against humanity’, says UN and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 150

This week, in its 150th episode, Just Asia begins with Burma, where the crackdown on the Rohingya may amount to ‘crimes against humanity’, says UN’s human rights agency. Since October, the Burmese military have been burning Rohingya homes, shooting people and raping women. According to John McKissick of the UN refugee agency, the government’s “ultimate […]

PAKISTAN: Release Octogenarian leader Ustad Rahimoon, disappeared following arrest

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the enforced disappearance of a veteran Sindhi Nationalist leader, Ustaad Muhammad Rahimoon, who was arrested from his home. Since his arrest by a contingent of Pakistan Rangers on November 23, his whereabouts are unknown.  A freedom fighter, Rahimon is today a heart […]

INDONESIA: Judges of Central Jakarta District Court refuse Prosecutor’s indictment and order rehabilitation of 26 defendants

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been updated by Jakarta Legal Aid regarding the prosecution against 23 labor activists, two public lawyers, and one university student in the Central Jakarta District Court. The Judges have stated that there is not enough evidence to punish the 26 defendants, and therefore the judges have […]

SRI LANKA: Estate manager forcibly evicted by police at request of two influential persons

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), received information regarding Mr. Rajapaksha Madagam Gedara Rathnasiri, of Pahurugolla Estate, Udawela, Theldeniya in Kandy District. He was manager of the Puhurugolla Estate in Theldeniya Police Division until 22nd May 2015. On that day, he was illegally arrested, detained and forcefully evicted by the Special Investigation Unit […]

SRI LANKA: De Facto State of Emergency?

By Basil Fernando When the high level delegation of Sri Lanka met the UN Committee against Torture (CAT Committee) last week on the 5th Periodic Review, one of the Committee members raised an important issue. The Member asked whether the dysfunctionality of the justice system in Sri Lanka has virtually created a situation of a de facto […]

INDONESIA: Sukamulya villagers fight for their land but face attacks and criminalization

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from national human rights organizations regarding forced evictions and police brutality. These actions have been taken against residents of Sukamulya village, Kertajati sub-district, Majalengka regent, West Java province. Local government supported by the police forcibly evicted residents of Sukamulya village. This village is the […]

INDIA: Demonetisation last nail in the coffin of already beleaguered peasantry

Article | India | 21-11-2016

By Avinash Pandey Even if one puts the cacophonous debate on the merits and demerits of demonetisation of Rupees 500 and 1000 currency notes aside, one thing is clear: it has hit hard the farmers all set to sow Rabi crops. Almost entirely dependent upon cash transactions for everything, starting from buying seeds and fertilisers, […]