Enforced disappearances and abductions

The Asian Human Right Commission (AHRC) welcomes the release of political prisoners and student protesters in Burma. This is another positive development, and the AHRC will continue to monitor developments and work closely on criminal justice reform in the transitional period toward democracy. On 17 April 2016, Burmese New Year Day, the President of Myanmar, […]

We are sharing with you a discussion conducted between Dr. U C P Perera, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, who has also been involved in the investigations into the Chemmanimass grave, and Mr. Basil Fernando, Director Policy and Programmes, Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission, FIDH, and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) The Bangladesh Government’s attempts to silence free speech continue. Several senior journalists and writers are facing trumped up charges and arbitrary detention for having published stories that are critical of the authorities. Mr. Shafik Rehman, an 81-year-old author, anti-death […]

This episode of Just Asia begins with Indonesia, where a public protest called for the dissolution of Indonesia’s Anti-Terror Police Unit. The protest followed the death of Mr. Siyono, one day after being arrested by the Police Unit on March 10. Although the police claimed Siyono died from fighting police personnel, an independent autopsy revealed […]

by Basil Fernando The existence of a mass grave may come to the notice of the public by many different ways; a statement by a witness made during a court hearing – as in the case of Chemmani Mass Graves: discoveries of some scattered remains of bones by workers when digging a site for constructions […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the disappearance of 24-year-old journalist and activist Ms. Zeenat Shahzadi. After disappearing on her way to work in August 2015, all attempts to learn of her whereabouts have failed. Losing hope, her younger brother committed suicide on 24 March 2016. Prior to […]

Twelve years after the disappearance of Somchai Neelaphaijit, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls upon the Thai authorities to begin a new investigation into Somchai’s case, and to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Somchai Neelaphaijit was a noted a lawyer and human rights defender in Thailand. […]

An article from International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED)forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) has published a Primer on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance for NGOs. Prof. Emmanuel Decaux,President of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)has written the Preface of […]

A Press Release from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On 26 March 2016, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has ordered military officers to arrest Mr. Worachai Hema, a former MP, at his residence. The officers did not inform his family and relatives of […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the disappearance of a Baloch student leader, who was arrested two years ago, on 18 March 2014, by persons from the nation’s military intelligence agency, the ISI. Since then his whereabouts are unknown, and he was not presented in any court of […]

The bail finally granted to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya is welcome. Despite the media gaze, it took almost a month for the students, who are accused of sedition on flimsy grounds, to be released. This showcases the nature of Indian Magistracy, and yet the repeated rejection of their bail […]

Just Asia is pleased to announce its new website www.alrc.asia/justasia. All episodes of the news programme can now be viewed there. This week, Burma’s Parliament elected Htin Kyaw as the country’s civilian President after decades of military government. Prevented from becoming president by a constitutional clause, Aung San Suu Kyi has said she will be “above […]

An Article by Camelia Nathaniel, titled ‘A Clear Indictment On Sri Lanka Police”, published in the Sunday Leader of 18March 2016, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2016/01/24/a-clear-indictment-on-sri-lanka-police/ By Camelia Nathaniel The National Police Commission (NPC) has so far received 752 complaints against the police from October 21, 2015 to date. According to the secretary […]

A Press Release from Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On 13 March 2016, the Cho-airong Hospital was laid siege by an unknown group of armed insurgents. It was further reported that more than 20 armed men with war weapons have raided and taken control of the hospital and […]

A Statement from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Over 30 police and military officers have raided and arrested Mr. Sarawut Bamrungkittikhun, admin of the “PeodPraden” (Open Issues) Facebook page from his residence in Suratthani since 9 March 2016. Today, 16 March 2016, the Thai Lawyers for Human […]

One year after the assassination of human rights defender Mr. Chai Boontonglek, a member of the Southern Peasants’ Federation of Thailand (SPFT), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned about persistent impunity in human rights murder cases. On February 11, the AHRC received information from Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA) and Protection International Thailand […]

The Indian Judiciary is facing a crisis of credibility, which is a challenge from within. These are the words of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, delivered on March 13 at an event marking the 150th anniversary of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. In his speech, the Chief Justice went on to blame this crisis […]

The frequently asked question nowadays is whether the government intends to create a new constitution, or whether it will amend the 1978 Constitution. It is thus pertinent to recall the statement made by former Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneswaran (now Governor of the Northern Province), that the constitutional crisis of Sri Lanka is a […]

March 12, 2016 is the twelfth anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Somchai Neelaphaijit. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) marks this date by bringing attention to the ongoing failure of the Thai judicial system to establish the truth behind his disappearance and to call for justice in his case and that of other disappeared […]

Reports of a series of killings attributed to underworld elements have sent shockwaves amongst all Sri Lankans, whether living in Sri Lanka or outside. Almost everyone was speculating as to what these killings aimed to achieve. Some thought the killings were mainly directed towards witnesses of serious crimes being investigated, or already brought to court. […]