Administration of justice

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you of yet another killing of a woman in Manipur by the 20th Battalion of Assam Rifles posted in Pallel. The woman received a bullet injury as officers fired indiscriminately without warning towards a group of villagers, who were approaching to identify a masked man […]

by Basil Fernando Rita, a rape victim visited the Magistrates Court 24 times between 2001 and 2004. Then, the case was referred to the Attorney General for the filing of indictment. The visits she made to the High Court thereafter, and reasons for postponements, are catalogued as follows: Case No: HC 57/2007 High Court – […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture to death of Ramadan Suhuddin, a sixteen-year-old boy, in the Municipality Police Office, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. The alleged perpetrators remain unpunished. The police are protecting their fellow officers, who tortured the boy. CASE NARRATIVE: On 16 October 2011, […]

In a letter dated 10 April 2015, the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission—an innovation of the current period of political change in Myanmar, or Burma—wrote to the Asian Human Rights Commission concerning the death in police custody of Ma Than Than Aye, and alleged torture of her and her husband Ko Nan Win (AHRC-UAC-128-2014). According […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man from Mandalay has been sentenced to six months in prison for attempting to join a candlelight vigil. He has been serving a prison term for participating in another peaceful protest, having been prosecuted under the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Act in […]

In this week’s Roundup, AHRC TV reports on the latest turns in the on-going Rohingya refugee crisis in Southeast Asia and the discovery of dozens of mass graves in jungle areas along the Thai-Malaysian border. AHRC TV speaks with international human trafficking expert Matt Friedman, and Glorene Dass of Malaysian organisation Tenaganita. Next in the programme is […]

A Press Release from British Pakistani Christian Association forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) Chairman Wilson Chowdhry recently visited Thailand to gain direct knowledge of the situation faced by Pakistani Christian refugees there.  The BPCA had been aware it is very bad and being there confirmed that reality. […]

An Open Letter from Migrant Working Group forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ATT: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha  Dear Mr. Prime Minister,  THAILAND: Policy recommendations to the Thai government regarding the Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean There has reportedly been the plight of migration of the Rohingya from Myanmar […]

By Basil Fernando The rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl two weeks ago, has given rise to the biggest protest seen in North in recent times. The police have announced that 9 persons have been arrested and are been investigated. DNA samples have been taken and sent for examination. Meanwhile, the President of Sri […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to Chair of the Indonesian Supreme Court, Professor H. Muhammad Hatta Ali Professor H. Muhammad Hatta Ali, SH, MH The Chair of the Indonesian Supreme Court  Mahkamah Agung RI  Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara No 9-13  Tel: +62 21 3843348, +62 21 3810350, +62 21 3457661 Fax: + 62 21 […]

In this week’s Roundup, AHRC TV reports on the refugee crisis in the Andaman Sea, where thousands of Rohingya people have languished in rickety boats for weeks, fleeing persecution in Burma. Finally, this week, after much international pressure, Malaysia, Indonesia, and The Philippines have allowed the boatpeople to come ashore for temporary shelter. A long-term solution […]

A Press Release from Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Lahore, May 21: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have expressed deep concern that following the 21stamendment, juveniles suspected of committing offences related to terrorism could end up being […]

A Press Release from Asia Press Office, Right Livelihood Award Foundation, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) We, the undersigned Laureates of the Right Livelihood Award, and the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, are deeply alarmed by reports published in Punjab Kesari, Dainik Bhaskar, Dainik Jagaran, Navodaya Times, and ABP News Channel on 24th […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information about a police officer, Mr Amitabh Singh Arambam.  He was brutally beaten by the security contingent of the Manipur Assembly Speaker, while he was on his way home with his wife and children.  Mr Amitabh Singh Arambam is known for his honesty and integrity at […]

An Article by Basil Fernando  This is a speech delivered by Basil Fernando at  The Fifth  Human Rights Cities Forum-  As the Keynote address for the Special  Session on Asian Human Rights – Human Rights in Asia and Vision of Human Rights City- 16th May 2015. It is useful, I think, to recall the aims […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from Nervazhi, a human rights organisation based in Thrissur District of the Indian state of Kerala concerning the case of Mary (name changed) who was gang-raped by her husband’s friends. Mary struggled to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators with the local police. The police […]

In this week’s Roundup, AHRC TV brings to you critical stories from the region. The programme begins with an update on Nepal, where a second major earthquake has rocked the nation. Renewed rescue efforts, along with relief work, have recommenced, but are inadequate for the needs of the people of the Himalayan nation.  Staying in Nepal, […]

Today, persons hailing from the Ismaili community (a branch of Shia Islam) have been attacked while they were travelling on a passenger bus managed and operated by the community. According to media reports, six unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on the bus from all sides, leaving at least 46 dead and 24 injured. Many […]

On 8 May 2015 the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission issued a short statement (No. 5/2015) to the effect that two soldiers accused of involvement in the killing of freelance journalist Ko Par Gyi on 4 October 2014 have been acquitted of any crime by a summary court martial. The statement explained that the men, […]

Gabriel Garcia Marquez once spoke of Fidel Castro as a person “incapable of conceiving any idea that is not colossal”. During the last few months in Sri Lanka too there has been an interest in colossal ideas. One such colossal ambition is the idea of eliminating corruption.  It even became a major theme in an […]