Democracy

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) takes exception to the information that the government of Nepal has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in writing to halt investigations it had undertaken into allegations of gross human rights violations dating back to the time of the conflict. The AHRC is seriously concerned by this additional […]

The long struggle of a female worker has drawn the attention of both the local and international community. Ms. Kim Jin-suk, a member of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has been occupying the cabin of Crane No. 85, which is 35 metres high, in the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) […]

Basil Fernando  In Plato’s Republic Glaucon narrates a story about a ring of invisibility.  The man who found the ring used his power to enter the palace, rape the queen, kill the king and to take over the throne. ‘They’d have the scope I’m talking about especially if they acquired the kind of power which, […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is seriously concerned about the recent arrests and intimidation by the Malaysian government against the leaders and supporters of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) in Malaysia. Bersih 2.0, a coalition of over 60 NGOs, planned to hold a rally on July 9 to demand electoral reforms […]

Basil Fernando In my earlier short essay titled Replacing investigations with gossip, I tried to point to the absence of outrage against forced disappearances in Sri Lanka, which I ended by saying that there must be some cultural for such an attitude. In this second short essay I venture to look into what that cultural root […]

The recent statement by the Human Resource Development Minister, Mr. Kapil Sibal, expressing concern over the process of wider consultation in the drafting of the anti-corruption law, the Lokpal Bill, calls for reflection and debate. The Minister has said that the government would not in the future consider involving the civil society for drafting legislations. The Minister’s […]

Mr. Hameed Haroon, the chief executive officer of the Dawn, a leading daily newspaper of Pakistan and the president of the All Pakistan Newspaper Society, an organization of owners of the print media, has confirmed that the slain journalist, Mr. Saleem Shahzad, had received threatening messages from Pakistan’s notorious intelligence agency, the ISI on at […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following statement from Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD). Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Statement from Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Thailand must learn the lessons of history Statement on the 19th Anniversary of […]

(Hong Kong, May 7, 2011) At a meeting held today, 7 May, at a local cooperative society’s meeting room in Paikgachha, Mr. Sohrab Ali Sana, Member of Parliament for the Paikgachha-Koyra (Khulna-6) constituency, demanded the arrest of all suspects relating to the attack on FMA Razzak and his brother, which took place on 29 April. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from the POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity (PPS-Delhi) and other civil society groups. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from the POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity (PPS-Delhi) and other civil society groups forwarded by the Asian Human Rights […]

(Hong Kong, May 4, 2011) Hundreds of men, women and children at Paikgachha have taken to streets demanding arrest of eye-gouger Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, a major in the Bangladesh army, and his aides for gouging eyes of human rights defender FMA Razzak and his brother Bodiuzzaman Bodiar. They spontaneously participated in a procession in protest […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that human rights defender FMA Razzak is going to die without proper medical treatment due to tremendous pressures from the officials of the armed forces and intelligence agencies who have cordoned the whole area in plain cloth. Since 9:45AM today, 30 April 2011, Razzak is […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following Joint Statement from the Indonesian Advocacy Coalition on Indonesia Intelligence Bill. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong A Joint Statement from the Indonesian Advocacy Coalition on Indonesia Intelligence Bill forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Advocacy Coalition on Indonesia Intelligence Bill Joint Statement http://idsps.org/english-news/pers-release/advocacy-coalition-on-indonesia-intelligence-bill-joint-statement-201104035746/ […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has consistently reported in the recent weeks on the issue of the government’s refusal to take action on the incitement to murder and civil disobedience by religious extremists. Several high profile cases have been reported on both matters by the AHRC and other international NGOs, however, the government has […]

A Statement from Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission TO ALL NEWS MEDIA/EDITORS and NETWORKS: FOR URGENT LETTER SUBMISSION AT 230PM to CHIEF OF ROYAL THAI POLICE FORCE at ROYAL THAI POLICE HEADQUARTERS opposite Siam Paragon shopping centre in Central Bangkok. ———- For Immediate Release: 3rd February 2011 Rights Groups […]

Sri Lanka will be celebrating its independence from the British Empire on February 4, 2011. The lamentation that independence has not meant a great deal to the people of Sri Lanka is commonly heard. However, the causes that created this situation have often not been examined. The very meaning of independence for citizens of any […]

In November 2010, in Hatton, Sri Lanka, Devarathnam Yogendra cooperated with the Bribery Commission to catch police officer IP Wijesuriya accepting bribes. A representative from the Bribery Commission watched as Wijesuriya accepted a bribe, then arrested him on charges of bribery (Case No.: 50600/01 in the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Colombo). Now Yogendra is being […]

Devarathnam Yogendra ( 28 ) is the complainant in a bribery case against IP Wijesuriya of the Hatton Police Station, who has been indicted on a charge of obtaining bribes. This charge has been filed on the basis of a complaint made by Yogendra on November 6, 2010 and it is alleged that the police […]

The act of solidarity by Egyptian Muslims towards Egyptian Copts is a glowing example for countries and communities around the world. And it must be particularly noted that Pakistan could be one of the main beneficiaries of this attitude. As Egyptian Copts prepared to attend mass at churches across the country, thousands of Muslims, including […]

Sofie Rordam Sri Lankan citizens are protected against torture and arbitrary arrest in sections 11, 12 and 13 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. In addition Sri Lanka has ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture and Cruel and Inhuman Treatment in 1994. While the legislation is there, the effectuation is not. The gap between […]