Fabrication of charges

PAKISTAN: HRCP advises government against reviving POPA

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed concern over moves to revive the Protection of Pakistan Act (POPA), which had expired on July 15, and urged the government to avoid resorting to laws that violate the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission said: “HRCP notes […]

INDIA: Another starvation death at Dumchipara Tea Garden

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM about yet another starvation death in Dumchipara Tea Garden owned by Duncans group. The tea plantation has been shut down for a while now and this has exposed workers to hunger and starvation. The AHRC demands immediate intervention and urges the authorities […]

AHRC TV: Inter-caste marriage ends in murder and other stories in JUST ASIA Episode 132

This week’s episode begins with the murder in Nepal of 18-year-old Ajit Mijar. Ajit married his non Dalit girlfriend Kalpana Parajuli on July 9, and the couple were forcibly separated by police and Kalpana’s family on July 11. On July 14, Ajit was found hanging near Phurke Khola, Dhading district. To learn more, Just Asia […]

PAKISTAN: Is racial discrimination an issue in Pakistan?

The extent to which Pakistan has complied with human rights standards set out in the International Convention of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), will be assessed by a United Nation’s expert committee in Geneva on August 16-17, this year. The committee will look at a report to be presented by the government of Pakistan, […]

PAKISTAN: Use of anti-terror laws against peasants’ movement

By Farooq Tariq The Pakistani state’s black brush is being used to paint any dissenting voices as terrorists under the National Action Plan. It is now been directed towards the ongoing peasants’ movement in the heart of Punjab province. Enabling conditions in the security framework has allowed the state to create an atmosphere of repression […]

INDIA: Cow worshippers chew up the rule of law

Article | India | 15-07-2016

Avinash Pandey A magisterial / judicial order directing the police to register a first information report and investigate a family that lost its provider in a mob lynching would seem impossible for anyone living in a rule of law system. But in the self-designated largest democracy of the world, this is what happened on 14 […]

AHRC TV: JUST ASIA, Episode 130

This week’s episode begins with the death of Abdul Sattar Edhi, a philanthropist known as Pakistan’s “Father Teresa”. Edhi died after a prolonged illness on July 8. Edhi spent his life building up an organization that has fed, clothed, offered medical services, and provided shelter to many Pakistanis. From a single ambulance, the Edhi Foundation’s […]

PAKISTAN: The richest poor man is no more

The Asian Human Rights Commission condoles the sad demise of Abdul Sattar Edhi and pays tribute to the country’s most loved social worker for his dedication and selfless service to humanity. It is not every day that one comes across a man like Edhi. A legend in his own right, he was a philanthropist who […]

INDIA: Ruby Rai and the joke called Juvenile Justice

Article | India | 01-07-2016

The Bihar police have arrested Ruby Rai, a 17-year-old girl, under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120(B) of the India Penal Code on 26 June 2016 and have duly sent her to jail, i.e. an adult jail. Her alleged crime is that of cheating to secure top rank in the state senior secondary […]

PAKISTAN: A deafening silence on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

To state that torture is endemic and rampant in Pakistan would be an understatement; torture has in fact become a lifestyle, a norm that is the beginning and end of judicial process in Pakistan. Thousands suffer torture everyday, yet they dare not report their ordeal. The law enforcement agencies that are responsible for this torture […]

INDONESIA: Lack of genuine policy and rights in Papua

After monitoring 20 months of the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua provinces under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is dismayed at the utter lack of progress in the protection and realization of people’s rights. Since President Widodo’s inauguration on 20 October 2014, there were considerable expectations for […]

WORLD: Judicial institutions which act as checks on executive power are being dismantled

Opening Statement by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, made at the Human Rights Council 32nd Session on 13th June 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Distinguished President of the Council, Excellencies Colleagues and friends When the Inter-American Commission announces it has to cut its personnel by forty […]

SRI LANKA: Government’s delay in dealing with laws delays

See the YouTube Video relating to this article. Journalist, Poddala Jayantha in a moving article, written in Sinhala, recalls his ordeal which took place exactly 7 years ago in the evening of June 1st that shocked the entire nation. A threat which has been made to him by the brother of the then President Mahinda […]

THAILAND: TLHR opinion concerning NCPO no. 25/2016

An article from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Not long after the second round of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Thailand. On 11 May 2016, several questions from member states concerning human rights situations in Thailand, including the military jurisdiction, the enforced disappearance, and the restriction of […]

AHRC TV: JUST ASIA, Episode 125

This week Just Asia begins with the growing demands in Bangladesh seeking the return of disappeared persons. Families are taking to the streets and holding press conferences to voice their concern and seek justice. On May 26, relatives made a ‘human chain’ in front of Dhaka’s National Press Club, and were joined by prominent human […]

PAKISTAN: Girls burned alive in country that prides itself on elite nuclear membership

In a country where 52 percent of the population suffers sexual and domestic violence, intolerance and extremist behaviours are only to be expected. Pakistan’s media reports daily abuse against women: burning alive, burying alive, mauled by dogs, honour killings, acid throwing, and physical torture. While proudly claiming its place in a nuclear club among the […]

INDIA: Jungle-raj in the police and judiciary

Avinash Pandey Mathura, a city in Uttar Pradesh, witnessed a sensational encounter between the police and a semi-religious cult that left at least 21 dead, 2 senior cops among them, yesterday. The police had reportedly gone there to evict members of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi who have been illegally occupying Jawahar Bagh for […]

PAKISTAN: Special report on grim situation of freedom of expression

(Hong Kong, 3 June 2016) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)’s bi-monthly magazine, article 2, has produced a special edition on “The state of freedom of expression in Pakistan”. The report covers details about the country’s fragile situation of freedom of expression and speech. It includes articles by professors, religious scholars, writers and activists. Interestingly, the […]

INDONESIA: Human rights lawyer charged after filing judicial review against Police

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning a fabricated case filed by the police against a human rights lawyer who was involved in a judicial review of two laws regarding the police in the Constitutional Court. The judges accused the lawyers of falsifying signatures on the judicial review application and […]

नेपाल: छुवाछूतसम्बन्धी कानुनको चौथो वर्षगाँठ : कानुन कार्यान्वयनमा सरकारी उदाशीनता

नेपालमा जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूत (कसुर तथा सजाय) ऐन, २०६८ कार्यान्वयनमा आएको चार वर्ष भइसकेको भए तापनि बढ्दै गएका जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूतका घटना र त्यसप्रति राज्यको उदाशिनताप्रति एसियाली मानवअधिकार आयोग र जागरण मिडिया सेन्टरको गम्भीर ध्यानाकर्षण भएको छ । तत्कालीन प्रधानमन्त्री झलनाथ खनालको पालामा वि.सं. २०६८ साल जेठ १० गते सो ऐन व्वस्थापिका–संसद्बाट पारित […]