Democracy

(Hong Kong, Bangkok-Dhaka-Geneva-Madurai-Paris-Quezon City, 26 October 2016) The High Court in Jammu and Kashmir has again prolonged the arbitrary detention of Kashmiri human rights defender Mr. Khurram Parvez, who has already spent 40 days in jail. Our organisations call on the Indian authorities to release him immediately. On 25 October 2016, the Jammu and Kashmir […]

Basil Fernando People who live through long periods of repression often develop psychological and cultural habits that lead them to pretend not to see or hear what is going on around them in their society. These psychological habits may help people survive through difficult times. However, even after the difficult times have passed, cultural habits […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about the publication of a paper analysing the Indonesian Universal Periodic Review (UPR) first cycle session in 2008 and second cycle session in 2012. This paper is published to prepare for the third cycle of the Indonesian UPR in 2017. It will help to asses and monitor the extent of progress of […]

Beginning with Pakistan this week, the appeal of Ms. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy and on death row for the past seven years, has been further adjourned by the Supreme Court. After receiving threats from fundamentalists, Justice Hamid-ur Rehman recused himself from hearing the appeal. Asia Bibi’s lawyer said it would probably […]

A Statement from World Association for Christian Communication – Asia Region forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” – Matthew 5:9 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, […]

Basil Fernando The basic premise of Frank de Silva’s article ‘Proposed change to criminal law – now withdrawn’ which appeared in the Island newspaper recently is summed up in the following paragraph, “The difference is also that the opponents – the HRC and the BASL going by media reports – are conscious only of rights, not […]

Mr. Khurram Parvez is a human rights defender from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 14 September 2016 when Khurram turned up at the New Delhi international airport to travel to Geneva, the authorities prevented him from boarding the plane and exiting the country. The grounds were that the Intelligence Bureau of India […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission, in its work to enhance outreach and awareness on human rights abuse, has issued third animated video on transgender. Please click the video In a conservative society like Pakistan, being a trans-person is deemed a crime. The transgender community is treated as outcastes having no identity or rights. Like other marginalized factions of […]

An article from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Since the 22 May 2014 coup staged by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the currently ruling body led by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha, a trend of judicial harassment against human rights defenders, who express dissenting […]

On 5 October 2016, Joshua Wong, a student activist who became a global icon for the fight for democracy in Hong Kong, made headlines in media once again after the Immigration in Thailand barred him from entering the country and detained him for around 12 hours at an undisclosed place. He was eventually deported to […]

Just Asia begins this week the detention of Hong Kong student activist Joshua Wong at Bangkok airport, for being a threat to Thailand’s national security. Invited to give a talk at Chulalongkorn University, Joshua was barred from entering the country by immigration officials. According to the Thai Deputy Police Commissioner, Joshua’s detention was purely a […]

Srikant Dixit, a 40-year-old farmer did not die of hunger, claim authorities in Uttar Pradesh. These authorities base their conclusion on the post-mortem report, which states that there was 50 grams of food in the man’s stomach. Yes, for authorities, finding 50 grams of food in the stomach of a man starving for 12 days […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the government of Pakistan for placing prominent journalist Mr. Cyril Almeida on the Exit Control List (ECL), labelling him as a threat to national security, and barring him from leaving the country. This was done in retaliation for reporting a meeting between the military and civilian government on […]

To enhance outreach and awareness on human rights abuse, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has taken the initiative to make animated video statements on different human rights issues. This is the second animated video of the series. Despite several conventions, laws, and constitutional guarantees in place, there is grave impunity and State apathy to […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the ban on student unions that has been in force since 1985, when military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq issued an ordinance. Successive military and civil governments were failed to lift the ban, even, after the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which is […]

LENIDO LUMANOG or “LEN” for short, the leading figure of the so-called “ABADILLA 5,” was buried on 15 September 2016. He died on 6 September 2016 at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) after a lingering kidney condition incurred while already in prison and shortly after turning 60 on 2 September 2016. He was […]

This week Just Asia begins with the killing of six Pakistani Shias in two cities under military control. In Quetta city, the capital of Balochistan, four women were shot dead in a bus on their way home on October 4. On the same evening, two Shias were killed returning from their mosque in the military […]

Basil Fernando Kadireshan Ravishankar, 34 was severely tortured by the HQI and other officers of the Hatton police station merely for failing to provide a haircut immediately on his order a couple of days ago. The case exposes the dangers of not allowing lawyers from representing their clients at police station, an amendment Minister of […]

With the arrival of the month of Muharram, killings of Shias have commenced. These killings have occurred particularly in Army controlled areas. On the 2nd day of holy month of Muharram, October 4, two incidents of Shia killings have been reported. Six persons including four women belonging to Shia sect of Islam were gunned downed […]

The demand of political parties that the Government of India provide proof of the Indian Army’s “surgical strike” against Pakistan is brewing a political storm in India. Persons in the government have deplored the questioning, labelling it as anti-Army and against national security. Some have even gone to the extent of demanding that those who […]