Administration of justice

The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was marked on 26 June 2015, with events planned in Karachi, Lahore, Haripur, and in many other districts of Pakistan. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), with the support of local and international rights-based organizations, has been striving to create awareness and mobilize the masses against […]

by Govinda Sharma “Bandi” The Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly has finally submitted the draft constitution to the Constituent Assembly (CA). The four major political parties, who carried out the 16-point agreement, have also agreed to adopt a fast-track constitution-drafting process to promulgate the new constitution within a month or so. The fast-track process […]

Pakistan has long been fighting a battle of identity. The objective resolution inserted into the Constitution made Pakistan an Islamic Republic, leaving religious minorities lesser citizens. At the time of its formation, its founding fathers had envisaged a free State where each minority group would have the right to profess their faith without fear of […]

An article from the Kathmandu Post, written by Dipendra Jha forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission by Dipendra Jha Torture has evolved into a chronic problem in Nepal, particularly after the end of the decade-long Maoist conflict. In October 2012, the Committee against Torture concluded that torture is systematically practiced in Nepal. Data by […]

Owing to a mountainous topography, many parts of Nepal are inaccessible during monsoon season; travelling to those more accessible can also be perilous at this time due to landslides. The problems that monsoons bring are more severe this year in aftermath of the devastating earthquake on April 25, and its destructive aftershock on May 12, […]

by JaveriaYounes “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.” Perhaps the author of these words, George Orwell, could not have expected his prophesy would materialize quite as it has today. Torture has become a hard-hitting reality of our time; it is no longer an issue of […]

Burma got a new government in 2010, after decades of military dictatorship. The change, by general election and under a new constitution, converted Burma from a military to a semi-military government. Some things changed, but most have remained the same.  Torture is still part and parcel of the way the military and law enforcement agencies […]

This week’s special Roundup coincides with International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The programme tunes in to AHRC partners from around the Asian region as they deliver their message to the world on this special day. Viewers can also watch AHRC TV’s special short video produced for DIGNITY Day, which is being celebrated in Copenhagen today. The […]

Pakistan ratified the United Nations Convention Against torture in 2010, but to date no concrete steps have been taken to enact a law. A draft Anti Torture Bill that purports to curb torture is a mere eyewash to dodge pressure from the international community. In Pakistan, the justice system is riddled with gaping problems related […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has over the past 15 years documented close to 3,000 cases of torture from Asia. Most of these cases are reported through AHRC’s Urgent Appeals Programme by partner organisations working in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Philippines, and Thailand. Having documented and closely followed […]

Throughout the world, June 26 is marked as international day in support of torture victims. In Pakistan, the Asian Human Right Commission has played an active role in mobilizing civil society with support from many partner organisations. Several activities have been planned to commemorate the day and raise awareness amongst the masses about the implications […]

The government of Nepal ratified the Convention Against Torture (CAT) in 1991, and passed the Torture Compensation Act (TCA) in 1996. The TCA, however, does not criminalize torture and focuses on compensation if police officers are found guilty of practicing torture. The TCA treats torture merely as a civil offence, which thereby encourages officers to […]

It has been 17 years since Indonesia ratified the Convention against Tortureand Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, and promulgated Law No. 5 of 1998. However, the Convention has yet to be enforced in the domestic legal system. Indonesia still doesn’t have a national law that criminalizes torture and allows for prosecution of acts of torture […]

That torture is endemic to Bangladesh is not news to the human rights community, or to the millions of citizens who directly and indirectly suffer at the hands of law enforcement personnel. The enactment of the “Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition) Act, 2013”, i.e. Act No. 50 of 2013, is acknowledgement of the widespread practice […]

June 26 is observed as the international day in support of victims of torture. Torture is a crime under international law, just as is slavery and genocide. When committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack, torture also qualifies as a crime against humanity. Torture […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with great concern about the fabricated charges laid on Jomorito Goaynon and his seven siblings. The charges are based on a complaint filed by the wife of Dorlito dela Mance, who was killed by members of a rebel group in March 2015. This is the second […]

An article from the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission by Shradha Ghale Two months after the massive earthquake, the government has declared that the ‘relief phase’ is over and focus should now be on reconstruction. No one can deny the enormity of the task the government was faced with during this […]

An article from The Sunday Times, Colombo forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission by Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena As the year winds to its mid-term, the January 2015 consensus for a better Sri Lanka seems dangerously fragile. One can only wistfully enough, wish for a virtual miracle to rescue the country.  Battle lines are clearly drawn […]

by Javeria Younus “I don’t want to die before I get justice.” These are the words of Kainat Soomro[1], a rape survivor awaiting justice. She is a victim twice over. She has suffered the crime of rape, and now she is also victim to our criminal justice system, which has denied her justice. Our criminal […]

A Statement from Right Livelihood Award Foundation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The restrictions against freedom of speech in Bangladesh, particularly in relation to the contempt conviction of Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury, have captured the attention of international authorities during the ongoing 29th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. On […]