Censorship

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission In Indonesia, civic space remains rated as “obstructed”. Among the main concerns are the use of restrictive laws, including defamation provisions against human rights defenders and journalists as well as harassment and threats against them. The authorities have criminalised Papuan activists for their peaceful […]

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The state of civic space in Nepal is rated as ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Documented violations of fundamental freedoms include arbitrary arrests and the use of excessive force with impunity during protests, as well as the ongoing targeting of journalists, including through harassment, […]

 The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to share with you the following video produced by LEADS YouTube Channel.  It is a recording of a conversation among a group of persons interested in pursuing system change in Sri Lanka. Presenter Mr. Basil Fernando provides an initial outline of the problems caused by the existing constitution of Sri […]

First, they came for the media, and I did not speak out – because I was not a media. Then they came for the civil society, and I did not speak out – because I was not a civil society. Then they came for the lawyers and judges, and I did not speak out – […]

(Sharing a link to a video explaining the Sri Lankan crisis of governance, Economy and Rule of Law. This video was prepared as a part of an ongoing discussion on the need of system change) Link to the Video  The purpose of this short article is to point to the need to focus on the […]

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The CIVICUS Monitor added Pakistan to its watchlist of countries in March 2024, following the repression against the opposition, the censorship of journalists and attacks on peaceful protests around the elections. Other ongoing concerns include the criminalisation, threats and harassment of human rights defenders and the […]

(Hong Kong, May 02, 2024)  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRS) supports the statement of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a famous national non-Governmental organisation (NGO) in Indonesia, regarding the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee issuing a document of observations (concluding observations) and recommendations regarding the human rights situation […]

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The CIVICUS Monitor added Pakistan to its watchlist of countries in early March 2024, following the repression against the opposition, the censorship of journalists and attacks on peaceful protests around the elections. Elections were held in Pakistan on 8th February 2024. Ahead of the elections, the […]

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The CIVICUS Monitor in December 2023 downgraded Sri Lanka’s civic space rating to ‘repressed,’ with authorities clamping down on protesters, stifling journalists and targeting activists amid mounting public frustration with poor governance and a lack of accountability. In January 2024, Human Rights Watch said […]

PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY  Discussion at Yogyakarta State University Critics against the Regime Forcibly Dispersed by the Rector          Discussion and gathering that was planned by the students of Yogyakarta State University (UNY) and other academics, such as lecturers and professors, were forcibly dispersed by the Rector due to the committee of the discussion did not have permission from the rector. Previously, […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In commemorating the International Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) highlights the theme of the lack of protection of human rights defenders in Indonesia. More than 20 years’ of political reform after former dictator President Suharto stepped […]

By Basil Fernando Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville is the famous author of the book Democracy in America. It is one of the world’s best known writings which have been appreciated by many philosophers, writers, thinkers and also people in many countries. It has also been translated into many languages.  Tocqueville was a […]

(Hong Kong, August 09, 2023)  ​​​​​​​Written submission to the Supreme Court on the “Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution” Bill The Bill titled “Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution” came for discussion before the Supreme Court on the 3rd and 4th of August. After the oral submission, written submissions were allowed to be filed by […]

By Basil Fernando A month or so earlier, it was a lawyer practicing mainly in a High Court closer to Colombo, that contacted me and told me about his concerns about a draft Bill which has been discussed amongst his colleagues which was about the introduction a draft of a Contempt of Court Bill. He […]

An article from Sri Lanka Brief forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission මෙම සටහන ඉතා පුළුල් කීර්තියක් ඇති තරුණ මාධ්‍යවේදියෙකු වන තරිඳු උඩුවරගෙදර අත්අඩංගුවට ගැනීමත් සමඟ මතු වූ විශාල ප්‍රශ්න පිළිබඳවය. පසුගිය සිකුරාදා (ජූලි 28) උද්ඝෝෂනයක් වාර්තා කිරීමේ අරමුණින්  සහභාගි වෙමින් සිටි තරිඳු උඩුවරගෙදර ත්‍රිරෝද රථයකින් ඔහුගේ කොණ්ඩයෙන් වියරු ලෙස බලහත්කාරයෙන් ඇදගෙන ගොස්  පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් පිරිසක් […]

By Basil Fernando This article is  a follow up to: 1. Does the proposed contempt of court Bill amount to 23rd amendment to the constitution?     2.  Is contempt of court unlike any other crime? To anyone who may be surprised by this question, we wish to remind that not too long ago, the issue became […]

By Basil Fernando On the larger questions raised by the arrest of Tharindu Uduwaragedera, a young journalist of very wide reputation. Tharindu Uduwaragedera who was attending a meeting on Friday (28 July) for the purpose of reporting on the meeting was forcibly dragged out of a three-wheeler, grabbed by his hair and roughly manhandled by […]

By Basil Fernando The purpose of the proposed Bill on the Contempt of Court is to criminalise the acts which may be considered to constitute the offence of contempt of court and to punish it. Clearly, this proposed Bill is meant to create offences under the contempt of court and therefore the purpose is to create […]

By Basil Fernando The draft Bill entitled ‘Contempt of Court, Tribunal or Institutions’, has been included in the parliament’s order paper and the issue of the constitutionality of this Bill will now be subjected to debate. There are several key questions arising from this draft Bill. These are:- Does this proposed law amounts to repeal […]

The center for religion and society (CSR) Colombo has published the 202nd issue of social justice. This publication started in August 1962 and has been regularly published ever since. Regarding this issue, the publisher states that this edition’s discussion is focus on Rule of Law, Anti-Terrorism law and other issues related to Sri Lanka.  Kindly see […]