Democracy

On 25 June 2018, a CBI Special Court in Thiruvananthapuram awarded the death penalty to two police officers accused of murder in a custodial death case for the first time, while another three accused are facing three years in jail. The case is infamously known as the ‘Urutti Kola’ case due to the torture technique used; the rolling […]

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 […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been watching Nepal’s political drama unfold over the past month with great concern. The main characters in this drama are Acting Chief Justice Deepak Raj Joshee, who is the nominee for the Chief Justice, the government and the 15 members Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC). The Constitutional Committee […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where two police officers have been awarded the death penalty for the custodial torture and death of 27-year-old Udaya Kumara in Kerala in 2005. For more than 10 years, Udaya’s mother was steadfast in her pursuit of justice. Udaya’s case is a reminder not only of police brutality […]

This week Just Asia begins with Nepal, where justice is finally being served to Ganga Maya Adhikari. Ganga Maya had been staging a fast-unto-death at Bir Hospital demanding stringent action against the murderer of her son. The main culprit, Chhabilal Poudel, has surrendered before the Supreme Court, and is now in jail awaiting trial. The government has […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) salutes the undeterred courage of Dr. Govinda K.C., who singlehandedly brought Nepal’s government to its knees after staging a fast-unto-death hunger strike for 27 days. Dr. Govinda K.C. started his 15th hunger strike from Jumla district on 30 June 2018, demanding that the medical education law should be drafted based on […]

Bangladesh’s human rights situation has alarmingly deteriorated over the past years, and it tends to get worse. Exercising of basic freedoms by the ordinary people appears to be impossible under the current regime. Freedom of peaceful assembly and association is being denied and dealt with cruelty. Both the law enforcement agencies of the state and […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where 149 people have died in a suicide bomb attack in Balochistan’s Mastung district. A suicide bomber detonated his explosives at an election rally of the Balochistan Awami Party on Friday afternoon. The death toll continues to rise, with more than a hundred others injured. This was the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has taken note of the aggressive treatment meted out to Mr. Sevananda Laimayum by a Government official and his escorts. Mr. Sevananda Laimayum is an advocate, serving as the treasurer in the High Court of Manipur’s Bar Association. According to news reports, at around 5:10 pm on the 29th of June […]

An article from The Mint forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission On 26 June 2018, the Thomson Reuters Foundation released the results of a perception poll that declared India to be the most dangerous country in the world for women, ahead of Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Saudi Arabia. The rankings were based on the […]

By Chris Biantoro1 Sejak Suharto lengser pada tahun 1998, dan reformasi telah berjalan selama lebih dari 18 tahun, Papua belum menikmati arti perubahan yang sesungguhnya, sebagaimana dinikmati oleh wilayah lain di Indonesia. Inisiatif untuk menyelesaikan kasus-kasus pelanggaran Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) di provinsi Papua dan Papua barat, sebenarnya telah beberapa kali muncul, misalkan yang diinisiasi […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the attack on well-known activist Amitha Priyanthi on July 6, when she was walking towards her home in Moragawala, Aluthgama. Two motorcyclists dressed in black, with helmets covering their faces, stopped and assaulted her on her head and other parts of the body. They took her handbag, which […]

A Press Release from Vigil India Movement forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) July 06, 2018 Dear Friends, Vigil India Movement a national level Human Rights Organisation, Bangalore invites Nominations to the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award 2018.  The Award honours individuals/organizations in India who have made significant contributions for the protection and promotion of […]

This week Just Asia begins with Nepal, where a mother is dying in the search for justice. Ganga Maya Adhikari has been on a fast-on-to-death hunger strike for over 30 days, and her health is severely deteriorating. In the ICU of Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Ganga Maya has a simple demand: the arrest of Chhabilal Poudel, […]

Growth has remained the buzzword in Indian polity for decades now. It started after the unprecedented economic crisis that the country faced in early 1990s and never really went away after that. It, rather, almost consumed the other big word- development, which now returns to election rallies and then disappears again until the next elections. […]

A Statement on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Nepal underwent political change in 2017, with local level elections held for the first time in 20 years. This was a significant step in ending the country’s political transition following the civil war (1996-2006). After a decade-long conflict in Nepal, the number […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where Shujaat Bukhaari, editor of the newspaper Rising Kashmir, was gunned down outside his office in Srinagar on June 14. A highly respected journalist, Bukhaari was known for his consistent advocacy for peace and dialogue in Kashmir. His assassination, along with that of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bangalore […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a regional human rights organization in Asia, condemns the repeated arbitrary arrest and detention occurring in Papua. Three particular cases have come to the AHRC’s attention, documented below. Case 1 On 21 November 2017, members of the Jayapura District Police arbitrarily arrested 14 indigenous Papuans in Nimbontong District, while […]

A Press Release from Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) June 14th, 2018 Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) welcome today’s important report by the Office of the High […]

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 […]