Administration of justice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Abeysinghe Gamachchige Manathunga, a farmer, was illegally arrested and tortured by the Hungama police simply because he happened to be in the right place at the right time. The officers needed to arrest a ‘culprit’ in order to fulfill the requirement to […]

There are estimated 15,451 pending cases at the Supreme Court (SC) of Nepal. Last year the Supreme Court gave final decisions on only 4360 cases. There are still 12,114 pending cases from last year and 8097 registered this year that makes total of 20,211 pending cases at the SC. So far this year, the SC […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Weerasinghe Gamage Kularathne is a farmer by profession. On 16 January he was taking some bananas that he had cultivated to market in order to sell them when he was stopped by officers of the Civil Security Force. The officers accused him […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Balendran Jayakumari and her daughter Vithushaini (13) both were arrested on 13 March 2014, by officers attached to the Kilinochchi Police Station. Jayakumari has been active in the search of disappeared persons, including members of her own family for several years. She […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Yahaluge Wimalasiri (50) of Veliharanawa, Oluganthota, Balangoda in the District of Ratnapura complained to the chairman of the Pradesheeya Sabha for making indecent proposals to his wife. Subsequently he was severely beaten by the chairman’s supporters and then by officers of the […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the police force of Burma has dismissed several officers involved in the torturing to death of a 39-year-old man. Other officers have been either suspended from duty or transferred to different townships. Myo Myint Swe was tortured during interrogation over a murder […]

On 11 March 2014 a presidential commission of inquiry into the latest violence in the far west of Burma, or Myanmar, presented its findings. According to the commission, which is the latest in a series examining violence around the country, numbers of security forces in some areas need to be significantly increased. Highlighting Maungdaw Township, […]

A girl commits suicide by self-immolation after her rapists bribed the police to release them. The state institutions remained as silent spectators The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that an 18 year old student died in hospital after setting herself on fire in the front of a hospital, in Muzzafargarh, Punjab province where […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Samarasinghe Arachchilage Samantha Dassanayake is a jailor of the Sri Lanka Prison Department attached to the Negombo Prison. He was illegally arrested and detained by the officers of the Seeduwa Police Station who allowed a ward member of Negombo Municipal Council and […]

Dear friends, Mr. Selambaran Wanaraja, a resident at the Hunnasgiriya Estate where he is employed obtained permission to collect fallen branches to use as firewood by the established means of applying in writing to the administration office of the Hunnasgiriya Estate. As he was collecting the firewood in the company of his friends he was […]

By Avinash Pandey At 218 in 2013 and 237 in 2012, one would expect a national outrage on the unusually high number of body bags returning to India from Qatar. One would think especially so, for the fact that these body bags belonged to Indian citizens. It must have incensed even the apologists of neoliberal […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Indonesian Human Rights and Legal Aid Association (Perhimpunan Bantuan Hukum Indonesia, PBHI) in West Sumatra regarding the neglected judgments of the civil courts in the case of Iwan Mulyadi. Iwan, a 28-year-old residing in West Pasaman Barat of West Sumatera, is a victim of a […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the allegedly illegal and unjust dismissal of more than 100 production workers in the Mamplasan, Binan, Laguna Plant. The information from Defend Job Philippines and Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Print Town (United Workers in Print Town) also documents the pitiable livening and working conditions […]

On 12 February 2014, assailants fired repeated gunshots and threw homemade bombs at the home and car of Professor Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a history professor at Thammasat University and outspoken political and cultural critic. The attack took place during the day and Professor Somsak was at home when it occurred. Although he did not sustain any […]

(Hong Kong, February 6, 2014) On January 14, the Court of Appeals (CA), Fifth Division, has concluded that Rolly Panesa, a 48-year-old security guard, could not possibly be Benjamin Mendoza, a leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), rejecting the claim of the police and soldiers as justification for his arrest. In its press release, […]

Widespread prevalence of hunger in India is no secret. Neither is complete inaction in making efforts to eradicate hunger recognised as a national shame by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and as the biggest humiliation by President Pranab Mukherjee. Had there been a resolute effort, it would have shown in arresting hunger that is continuing […]

In a meeting held on February 4, organised by the Korean Women’s Development Institute where around 500 so-called women ‘leaders’ participated, President Park Geun-hye delivered a speech that her administration will strive for the keeping of good maintenance of systems so that women of capacity will not be barred from achieving their dreams. President Park […]

The AHRC releases today the 16th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup.  In this week’s programme we bring you the following stories from across Asia; In the news from Kerala, India, fundamental questions are raised about the police participating in a traditional religious procession. The AHRC speaks to activists in Thrissur, Kerala, to explain […]

In an exclusive interview with Nilantha Ilangamuwa, the editor of Torture – Asian and Global Perspectives, Ms. Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said, “We apply the law without distinction, fear or favour. We follow the mandate that has been given to us under the Rome Statute. Regrettably, often the lack of full […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release announcement from Korean Women Link & Human Right Organisations from South Korea. For further details, kindly contact the person below. Ms. Park Jin DaSan Human Right Center Email: humandasan[at]gmail.com Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- FORWARDED PRESS […]