Democracy

By Basil Fernando I have had the privilege of witnessing the birth of an initiative to create a people’s movement not affiliated to any political party, which targets a minimum of one million memberships. It will be entirely locally funded and independent. The new movement springs from the initiative of Victor Ivan, a veteran journalist […]

by Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar Elections of 3,956 Union Parishad (UP), the lowest tier of the local governmental system in Bangladesh, held in six phases that were conducted few months ago. Serious allegations of mononoyan banijya (buying nominations for money), other irregularities and violence were raised about these elections. Nevertheless, our CEC claimed that UP elections this time were much […]

This week Just Asia focuses on international human rights day, celebrated annually on December 10. It commemorates the day on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. The UN theme for this year’s Human Rights Day is ‘Stand up for someone’s rights today!’ At a time when intolerance and violence is […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Just like 2015 and the years prior, 2016 has been no different in terms of human rights, rule of law, and functioning of justice institutions in Nepal. Rather, the legacy of human rights and justice institution collapse has remained intact, […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In Sri Lanka, what remains widespread in political, social, and cultural life is widespread shameless impunity relating to every form of abuse of human dignity and human rights. This widespread shameless impunity is also widespread in the entirety of the […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day The incumbent government has pushed the people to one of the worst living conditions they have faced in recent collective and individual memory. Millions of Indians are repeatedly queuing up before banks and currency dispensing machines, struggling to withdraw legitimately […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Bangladesh’s incumbent government, its law-enforcement agencies, and its Judiciary, complement each other in maintaining the spree of gross human rights abuses. They have operated in tandem to intensify the pattern of human rights violations to a new level in the […]

A Statement from Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. Karapatan today joined RISE UP!, a campaign initiated by faith-based groups, institutions and people’s organizations against the drug menace and for the protection of human and people’s rights against drug-related extrajudicial killings, in a protest action in […]

An oped from the myRepublica forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Earlier this month Nepal marked 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the decade-long armed conflict in 2006. Since then a new constitution has been promulgated and former combatants have been reintegrated into the society while some also joined security […]

This week, in its 150th episode, Just Asia begins with Burma, where the crackdown on the Rohingya may amount to ‘crimes against humanity’, says UN’s human rights agency. Since October, the Burmese military have been burning Rohingya homes, shooting people and raping women. According to John McKissick of the UN refugee agency, the government’s “ultimate […]

A statement of UN experts on the occasion of International Day for the Abolition of Slavery Friday 2 December 2016 GENEVA (30 November 2016) – The abuse and exploitation of children as modern-day slaves cannot continue to be tolerated, two United Nations human rights experts have warned in a statement ahead of the International Day […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the Nepal Police who arrested Dr. C. K. Raut and more than two hundred supporters of his campaign. They came from different districts of Nepal’s Terai. Excessive force was used. Illegal arrests were made. By contrast, Dr. Raut and his supporters were commemorating 25 November (Mangsir 10, […]

We, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the Peoples’ Network of Salween River, the Hatgyi dam affected communities, and the Foundation for environment and natural resources demand the Salween dam plan to stop immediately. We realise that the planned dam on the Salween River is causing tension between armed groups and slowing down the peace […]

The ferocious conditions of torture in Pakistan where torture has become endemic.According to AHRC survey 80% prisoners were tortured in police custody, while 72% failed to report the same fearing repercussions. As many as 44% of the prisoners were sexually abused in detention. According to a study conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission, 80% prisoners were […]

Bangkok-Dhaka-Geneva-Paris-Quezon City, 29 November 2016 – Kashmiri human rights defender Mr. Khurram Parvez remains in arbitrary detention, despite a High Court order declaring his detention illegal and ordering his release. Our organisations are appalled at this abuse of power and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Khurram Parvez. Last Friday 25 November 2016, the High Court […]

Mr. Khurrum Parvez is a human rights defender, the chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, working in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 14 September 2016, the immigration officers stationed at the international airport in New Delhi, prevented Parvez from leaving the country. Khurrum had arrived at the airport to travel to Geneva […]

Kingsley Karunaratne Delegation says Sri Lankan government has zero tolerance for torture, but critics say police ‘enjoy impunity’ The United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) is in session in Geneva, Switzerland from Nov. 7 – Dec. 7 and Sri Lanka has been called to account for allegations of ongoing abuse. The Sri Lankan government sent […]

This week Just Asia begins with Burma, where satellite evidence shows mass destruction in Rakhine state, home to the persecuted Muslim Rohingya minority. The latest images from Human Rights Watch indicate that some 820 structures were burnt in five villages between November 10-18. The rights watchdog is calling for an urgent UN investigation into the […]

The people of tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are caught between the Pakistan army on one hand, and the Taliban and ISIS on the other. The terrorists attack and kill tribal leaders for not allowing them to set up their training centers and move freely in the mountains, while the Pakistan army arrests, tortures, and extrajudicially […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received a detailed complaint from Mrs. Herath Mudiyanselage Podi Kumarihami of Poojanagaraya, Mahiyangana, in the Badulla District. Her complaint reveals that the Magistrate of the Mahinganaya Magistrate’s Court, Ms. Thisani Thenabadu has taken several actions against. The Petitioner alleges that the said Magistrate has been harassing her and violating […]