Administration of justice

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission, Mr. Benedict Selvaraj, a mason living in Hantana Estate, Kandy has been assaulted, arrested and threatened with torture by police officers attached to the Crime Branch of the Kandy Police. Benedict has been arrested and later assaulted during a church procession in full […]

by Javeria Younes The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has initiated a series of articles on the proposed Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2015; this is the third article in the series. The Bill has draconian provisions that seek to muzzle the freedom of expression and speech over the Internet to discourage dissent and stifle intellectual […]

Bangladesh has witnessed one more fake election yesterday, 28 April 2015. The process of electing people’s representatives to the City Corporations of Dhaka and Chittagong has been marked by fraudulence. Rigging and ballot stuffing by ruling party cadres, polling officers, and law-enforcement agents reigned all across the two cities, as witnessed by human rights defenders […]

An Open Letter from Promoting human rights, peace and democracy in Indonesia (Tapol) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Mr Joko Widodo  President of the Republic of Indonesia Jl. Veteran No. 16 Jakarta Pusat INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 29 April 2015 Dear Mr President, I am […]

Stating that the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution marked a major stride for democracy, Lawyers Collective urges all political parties to use the next general election to obtain a fresh mandate to abolish the Executive Presidency fully in an appropriate manner. Lawyers Collective expressed their disappointment at the attempt by few MPs […]

by Basil Fernando  Last week, 23 April 2014, the television programme ‘Sathyagaraya’ – a Sinhala language programme telecast by the Independent Television Network (ITN) and produced by Upul Shantha Sannasagala – broadcast a long conversation with Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasignhe. Our concern in this article, is about one particular question raised by the producer, Mr […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Joko Widodo Mr. Joko Widodo  President of the Republic of Indonesia Jl. Veteran No. 16, Jakarta Pusat, INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 E-mail: webmaster@setneg.go.id Dear President Widodo: INDONESIA: Reconciliation Task Force cannot replace […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent execution of a mentally ill man, who was tried and convicted on illegal drugs charges in Indonesia. Rodrigo Gularte has a long history of severe mental illness, dating back long before his arrest, and he continues to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. […]

An article from the Friday Forum forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The 1978 Constitution of our country has a passage in its Preamble which refers to the obligations of parliamentarians elected by the People. It says that “WE THE FREELY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA, in pursuance of the mandate, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent execution of a Filipina migrant worker. She was unwittingly used as a drug mule by her employer and now faces execution by a firing squad. Mary Jane Veloso is a 30 year old mother of two, exploited by an international drug […]

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission, Mr. P. Somadasa and his wife of Palalla, Weligama Police Division, Matara District are being denied their rights. Officers attached to the Weligama Police Station have refused to investigate their complaints about alleged crimes having been committed against their person and property and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) joins the world in grieving the deaths and loss of property in Nepal after the massive earthquake that has hit Nepal today at 11:50 am Nepali time. The 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck 80 km east of Pokhara in Nepal has devastated the country causing human casualties and other damages […]

On 19th to 24th of April 2015, the Asian-African Conference has been held in the Republic of Indonesia, with representatives of more than a hundred countries participating on the theme of “Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity”. During the event, several bi-national meetings have also been held. The host country President, Joko Widodo, has […]

by Avinash Pandey  Gajendra Singh, a farmer from Rajasthan hung himself from a tree in the middle of a political rally against the Union government’s indifference to the plight of peasants. His suicide, recorded and broadcast live, has brought the horrors that plague the countryside straight into the discomfort of the homes of everyone with […]

In this week’s Roundup, AHRC TV begins in The Philippines, where three rights activists have been killed and two others wounded in separate incidents in the month of March. This is a sign of continuing impunity. Union activist Ronald Ian Evidente shares concerns about the perils faced by rights activists in the country. Next, AHRC TV […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Chief Incumbent of the Namal Uyana Buddhist Monastery, Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero, has escaped an attempt on his life. Constable H.G.M.L. Karunadasa (87198) attached to the Galkiriyagama Police Station, used his official weapon to open fire on the monk on 17 April […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the administration of the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, under the newly appointed Director has demolished several access roads built especially for persons with disabilities. They have demolished the main access road for near the main entrance, and access roads to Nos: 1-60 inside the […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi  Shri Narendra Modi Prime Minster Government of India Room No. 148 B, South block,  New Delhi INDIA Fax: + 91 11 230111857 Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi,  INDIA: Citizens should not be forced to drown themselves for […]

A revolt has been organized by few irresponsible politicians through a campaign to stop investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption. The latest name to be added to the list of those who are being investigated on such allegations is the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa himself. There cannot be a greater attempt to drag a […]

The 2006 amendment to the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, clearly states that truth is a valid defence against contempt of court proceedings in India. This Act, number 6 of 2006 of the Indian Parliament, amends Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, incorporating Sub-section (b) to Section 13. Sub-section 13 (b) reads: […]