Administration of justice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Subramaniam Rubini of Katugastota, Kandy District, has been harassed by police officers attached to the Katugastota Police Station on the whims of a former lover, Selvam. Police officers from Headquarters and the Katugastota Police Station demanded that she pay a sum of […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has information provided by the Land Reform Commission (KPA), a national NGO documenting land conflicts, and other national NGOs against human rights violations in the mining area. Police and military security forces forcibly attacked and shot villagers protesting against the Cipta Buana Seraya coal mining Company (PT. […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Velauthapilai Renugaruban, a British citizen who was visiting his relatives in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has been illegally arrested, detained, and severely tortured by Sri Lankan police officials. He is being accused of aiding and abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) […]

Beginning with Thailand this week, Just Asia covers three human rights defenders who have been accused of criminal defamation and violation of the Computer Crime Act for publishing a report detailing 54 cases of torture by the Thai Army in the country’s southern provinces. The three defenders, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Director of the Cross Cultural Foundation […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), a newly occupied territory of Pakistan federation, has hurriedly upheld the sentences of 12 human rights defenders for 40 years, with a fine of Rupees 500,000 each, to debar their leader, Mr. Baba Jan, […]

This April, Nepal’s transitional justice bodies, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), began recording testimonies on serious human rights violations narrated by victims of the decade-long civil war. CIEDP has extended the June 16 deadline by one month, as complaints related to conflict-era cases have […]

Dear Friends, The AHRC has received the following information from its partner organization MASUM in West Bengal. A man, about 21 years of age, was allegedly forcibly picked up by Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) personnel. He was on Indian land, on his farm near the Indo-Bangladesh border.  CASE NARRATIVE: The victim, Manojit Mondal, aged 21 […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to mark 31 May 2016 as an important date in Thailand’s history with respect to the protection of human rights defenders. On this day, the Provincial Court in Thailand, Northeast, delivered its official verdict, convicting two military officers accused of violent assault against villagers who opposed a mine […]

Acceptance Speech, Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy By George Katsiaficas for the 2016 Kim Dae Jung Scholar’s Prize for Democracy, Peace, and Human Rights, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea, June 8, 2016, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong. “Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy” – By George Katsiaficas […]

An editorialfrom the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission After the historic election of OnsariGharti as the Speaker of Parliament and Bidhya Devi Bhandari as the President, Senior Supreme Court Justice Shushila Karki, on Tuesday, became the first woman member in the Judicial Council. Karki will be appointed as the chief justice […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Bolli Monsur Ahmed remains disappeared since the police arrested him three years ago. The Fatikchhari police of Chittagong district arrested Ahmed from his uncle’s house at 4:30 am on 27 March 2013. Recently his family held a press conference to demand his […]

This week Just Asia begins with the growing demands in Bangladesh seeking the return of disappeared persons. Families are taking to the streets and holding press conferences to voice their concern and seek justice. On May 26, relatives made a ‘human chain’ in front of Dhaka’s National Press Club, and were joined by prominent human […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Pushpakumari Hunukumbura was slapped by the Officer-in-Charge of the Peradeniya Police Station when she refused to come to a settlement against the perpetrator who assaulted her. Instead of investigating the crime, the Peradeniya police are protecting the culprit, illustrating the police’s lack […]

नेपालमा जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूत (कसुर तथा सजाय) ऐन, २०६८ कार्यान्वयनमा आएको चार वर्ष भइसकेको भए तापनि बढ्दै गएका जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूतका घटना र त्यसप्रति राज्यको उदाशिनताप्रति एसियाली मानवअधिकार आयोग र जागरण मिडिया सेन्टरको गम्भीर ध्यानाकर्षण भएको छ । तत्कालीन प्रधानमन्त्री झलनाथ खनालको पालामा वि.सं. २०६८ साल जेठ १० गते सो ऐन व्वस्थापिका–संसद्बाट पारित […]

Just Asia begins this week with a ground breaking report on Nepal’s anti-Constitution protests, in which over 40 persons died. Published jointly by the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance, the report concludes that security forces consistently engaged in excessive use of force against protestors and bystanders from August 2015 […]

Religious persecution has dominated human rights abuse in Pakistan. Ahmadi religious minorities have been the preferred targets of religious fundamentalists. Recently, another Ahmadi, Dawood Ahmad, was shot dead in the Gulzar Hijri area of Karachi, on the night of 24 May 2016. He was the target of religious malice and hatred against Ahmadis in Pakistan, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a father and son have been subjected to targeted abuse of the fundamental powers of the judicial system. Following their refusal to meet extortion demand of the police, Mohammad Saleh Ahmed and his son Mohammad Saidul Islam have been implicated in fabricated cases […]

Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers – Ms. Mónica Pinto following the visit to Sri Lanka from 29th April – 7th May 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. Colombo, 7 May 2016 * This statement should be read in conjunction with the preliminary observations […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance (‘the THRD Alliance’) published today a report on the anti-Constitution protests from August 16, 2015 to February 5, 2016 in which over 40 people died. The report focuses on the use of force by the Government of Nepal against protestors and bystanders. Based […]

The role of the Attorney General’s Department in terms of upholding the justice system in Sri Lanka, and rule of law is being critically examined from many quarters. The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Ms. Monica Pinto severely critiqued the Attorney Generals’ Department in her Preliminary Observations and recommendations following […]