Corruption

Late Mr. Tarzie Vittachithe, winner of many prestigious awards for journalism, had a favourite saying that, “Everything is about something else”. In a similar manner, the parliamentary discussion on two no-confidence motions is also clearly about other issues, rather than the brutal carnage that took place on Easter Sunday and the causes thereof. The government […]

This week Just Asia begins with Hong Kong, where Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the government will not drop the controversial amendment to the territory’s extradition laws, despite 12,000 people marching against it last Sunday. The amendment allowing Hong Kong to extradite to other countries, including China, on a case by case basis, was to […]

A well-functioning legal system can be measured by its response to daily crimes and complaints. This is a much better test in fact, rather than a country’s constitution (in Sri Lanka’s case, the 1978 constitution still remains a major barrier to the functioning of a legal system), or statutes, or judicial presence, all of which […]

This week Just Asia begins with Sri Lanka, where investigations are ongoing into the abduction and murder of two businessmen from Rathgama. Until now, two police officers have already been arrested. Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department has revealed that the two businessmen, Manjula Asela and Rashin Chinthaka were abducted and murdered, and their bodies were […]

This week Just Asia begins with Bangladesh, where a fast-moving fire in the historic district of Chawkbazar in the country’s capital city of Dhaka has killed 78 persons and injured 55. The death toll and the number of victims is expected to increase as more bodies are found from the wreckage. The 400-year-old Chawkbazar district […]

Saya sebagai Pemerhati Ham Papua, sangat perihatin dengan situasi pelanggaran Ham di papua di akhir-akhir ini, masyarakat sipil orang asli Papua dan Non Papua hidup dengan penuh rasa takut dan trauma di tanah ini, pembunuhan terjadi di mana-mana terhadap masyarakat sipil. Tindakan (Organisasi Papua Merdeka) OPM juga sangat meresahkan bagi warga pendatang yang ada di […]

This week Just Asia begins with Bangladesh, where police arrested a prominent government critic on Monday. Police said Moinul Hosein, a top lawyer and publisher of an English daily, was detained after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina slammed him for his comments against a pro-government female journalist. His arrest comes in the wake of a recent government […]

Phrases like ‘good governance’ are often used in less developed countries without attaching a specific meaning to them. The experience of the present government in Sri Lanka is a clear example of this. Since the January 2015 election victory, ‘good governance’ has been used to talk about everything. In actual fact however, the country has […]

Sri Lanka Report for 2017 2017 was a decisive year for Sri Lanka, showing what progress had – and hadn’t – been made in the past few years. In January 2015, a new government was elected with a massive intervention on the part of the people. For 10 years, their premiere, Mahinda Rajapaksa, ran an […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where an 8-year-old girl from Kashmir was gang-raped and murdered. Her family reported her missing in January this year, and only a week later was her body found. According to the charge sheet filed in April, the girl from the Bakarwal Muslim community was gang-raped and murdered by […]

When thinking of police officers in Pakistan, inept, corrupt and intimidating are some of the first thoughts that come to mind. Their attitude towards complainants and victims of crime are particularly devoid of civility. In fact, complainants are harassed for daring to report crimes and demanding justice. The country’s justice delivery mechanisms largely fail victims, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction and illegal confinement of a peasant, Nawaz. He was abducted by a local influential man, Umer Farooq, of Kot Momin District Sargodha. Nawaz’s wife, Amna, and her three children were forced to take refuge at the Hawa Shelter Home. Umer, […]

This week there were a few public discussions on the issue of delayed justice. The ‘Satana’ Programme of Sirasa TV on 1st August 2017 was mainly focused on the issue of delay in justice. On the other hand in another video broadcast on YouTube, a reputed lawyer Nagananda Kodithuwakku, raised series of serious questions of the actual independence of […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been found guilty of corruption by the Supreme Court’s Joint Investigation Team. The team found the Sharif family wealth to be beyond their sources of income. The country’s political parties and Bar Associations are now demanding Sharif’s resignation. Moving to Burma, the […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. Sandaradura Nilanka de Silva. On 28 March 2016 he was illegally arrested by police officers attached to the Kalutara North Police Station. Later he was severely tortured resulting in the loss of one tooth. Nilanka was introduced to the Informant who gave his […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, which observed World Day Against Child Labor on June 12. Despite official fanfare and praise, child labour continues to increase in the country, and child rights groups have criticized the government for not criminalizing it. Civil society is urging the government to formulate policies and laws to eliminate child labour and take […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the destruction of property by a former police officer. Mr. M G Sarath Gamage legally bought land belonging to a former police officer six years ago. However, when he began construction on the land, the former police officer continuously disturbed and destroyed his […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the torture and forced confession of Mr. Aris Winata Saputra and Mr. Bihin Charles, committed by police officers of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police office (Polda Metro Jaya). Mr. Bihin Charles works as a courier at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, whereas Mr. Aris Winata […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. Mutthuswamy Sathgunam, 47, of No: 2/2, Maberitenna, Digana, Rajawella, in Kandy District. Police Officers illegally arrested, detained and produced him before the Teledeniya Magistrate’s Court on fabricated charges. According to Sathgunam, the police officers conducted themselves in an unlawful manner to take revenge […]

Two recent reports prove the predictions that the Asian Human Rights Commission has been making for several years, that Bangladesh is likely to become a major refugee producing country in the Asian region. The UK basedIndependent published a report on 5 May 2017, with the title “Bangladesh is now the single biggest country of origin for refugees on boats as new route to Europe […]