Freedom of expression

PHILIPPINES: Massive protests against human rights violation under Duterte’s violent presidency

(Hong Kong, 9 December 2017) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that different human rights groups across the country will hold protests and a series of other events tomorrow, December 10, to mark the International Human Rights Day. Today, the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan), an alliance of human […]

AHRC TV: JUST ASIA’s 200th Episode on International Human Rights Day

Just Asia completes its 200th episode this week. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)’s news programme was launched on 14 October 2013 as the Weekly Roundup, and provided a platform for the stories of those fighting for human rights throughout the Asian region. On its 100th episode, the news program evolved into Just Asia. Basil Fernando, Director […]

NEPAL: Government must move beyond partisan interests for realization of rights

In 2017, Nepal saw local elections taking place in the country after more than two decades. Federal Parliament and Provincial Assembly elections were also conducted this year. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) congratulates the government of Nepal for successfully completing the elections. Voter turnout was high in response to the lack of effective political […]

PHILIPPINES: Resist the escalating fascism of the Duterte government Justice for Fr. Tito Paez and all victims of human rights violations! Stand for peace, Stop the Killings

A Statement from Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-Hong Kong/ Macau) and Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR-Hong Kong) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP), […]

INDONESIA: Development of Kulon Progo Airport continues despite lack of Environmental Permit and rampant violence

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about two important situations. First, there was a brutal attack against local community members and student activists in the area of the New Yogyakarta international Airport (NYIA). Second, there was the lack of an Environmental Permit. Joint Security Forces, made up of Police officers […]

PHILIPPINES: Response to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s statements on the complaints filed by Karapatan to the UN

A Statement from Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples Rights (KARAPATAN)  forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission When we file complaints to the UN, or when we issue any statement or document cases, we ensure that victims, survivors and/or their relatives not only give their consent for their cases to be publicized or filed […]

SRI LANKA: Hand Book for Barefoot Lawyers and Human Rights Defenders, produced by Janasansadaya, People’s Forum, Sri Lanka (Sinhala)

Reviewed by Basil Fernando The Hand Book for Bare footLawyers and Human Rights Defenders is a very useful and valuable contribution for litigants in Sri Lanka. The book is produced by Janasansadaya, and edited by Chitral Perera and Chandrasena Badhugama. Janasansadaya is a reputed organisation based in Panadura, Sri Lanka, which has been serving litigants from mainly low incomegroups. The […]

PHILIPPINES: CTUHR Statement On Spate of Extrajudicial Killings and Threat of Crackdown An all-out defacto Martial Law

A Statement from Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, Inc. (CTUHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Twenty workers, trade union organizers and labour rights defenders had been extra-judicially killed since President Duterte came to power and wage its bloody and brutal wars on drugs, on terrorism and insurgency. Women in the informal sector, had […]

PAKISTAN: The last nail in the coffin of democracy

The nuclear state surrenders before a religious mob- virtually handing over absolute power and blanket immunity to fundamentalism and militancy The year 2017 in Pakistan has been marked by tussles between state institutions and the army. The chain of events that started with a seemingly whimsical news item about the war of words between the […]

INDONESIA: Critics Using Meme Against Public Authority is Part of Freedom of Expression

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned about the following situation. Mr. Setya Novanto, speaker and Chairman of the House of Representatives, was summoned by the KPK(the Corruption Eradication Commission) to take part in an examination process. He is a bribery suspect in the gigantic corruption case of the Electronic Identity Card (E-KTP). There […]

SRI LANKA: අපරාධ නඩු ඉක්මනින් විසදීම ගැන පාර්ලිමේන්තු කොමිටු වර්තාව – On Parliamentary Sectoral Committee Recommendations (In Sinhala)

In this video commentary, Mr Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission comments on the recommendations of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Legal Affairs, on the expeditious and efficient administration of criminal justice. This Committee made a report on the above topic on the 20th September 2017. In that Report while the Committee admitted that unacceptable and shameful […]

AHRC TV: Indonesia’s corruption watchdog arrests Parliament Speaker and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 198

This week Just Asia begins with Indonesia, where the Corruption Eradication Commission finally secured the arrest of Parliament Speaker Mr. Setya Novanto. Novanto is a suspect in the national electronic identity card scheme case, having caused losses of IDR 2.3 trillion. Next, Pakistan observed Universal Children’s Day on November 20 as a mere formality, while […]

PAKISTAN: Mercy plea to the President

An article from www.dawn.com forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission MR Mamnoon Hussain President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mohtaram Sadar, (Respected President) I am taking the liberty of seeking Your Excellency’s intervention to secure an end to the plight of six individuals. One of them is a woman journalist and defender of human rights, another is […]

INDONESIA: Journalist in Timika, Papua brutally attacked by police officers

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal attack against Mr. Saldi Hermanto, a journalist in Timika, Papua. He was attacked by the police after he criticized on Facebook the police handling of security at an entertainment show he attended. Although the Mimika Police Chief has promised to properly […]

INDIA: Protesting Farmers hold their Parliament, passing bills as real one looks away

by Avinash Pandey More than 3 lakh (300,000) suicides in thirty years and millions of other lives ruined, would qualify as a national disaster, forcing the Government to tackle it all guns blazing in any democracy. Alas, it does not in the one that claims to be the largest democracy of them all-India. In fact […]

AHRC TV: UN wants to strengthen ASEAN’s human rights mechanism and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 197

This week Just Asia begins with the ninth ASEAN-UN Summit on Monday, where United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN wants to work with ASEAN to strengthen the regional bloc’s human rights body. This comes as several ASEAN countries face human rights related controversies. Particularly troubling is Burma’s violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority, […]

NEPAL: Maligning campaign against Ms. Mohna Ansari, Member, NHRC and our request for prompt action

15 November 2017 Mr. Anup Raj Sharma Honourable Chairperson National Human Rights Commission Pulchowk, Lalitpur NEPAL Fax: +977 1 55 47973 Tel: +977 1 5010015 E-mail:complaints@nhrcnepal.org nhrc@nhrcnepal.org Dear Mr. Anup Raj Sharma, Re: Maligning campaign against Ms. Mohna Ansari, Member, NHRC and our request for prompt action The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing […]

INDIA: MASUM activists intimidated and falsely charged by corrupt police in West Bengal

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, our partner organization in West Bengal, about the tactics used by police personnel to intimidate and suppress a human rights activist employed with MASUM, due to their reporting and data collection on human rights violations and abuse of power by Border Security […]

INDONESIA: Anti Communist mob forcibly dispersed access to rights workshop

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the forced dissolution of a national workshop on access to economic, social and cultural rights for victims and family members of past human rights abuses in Indonesia. The workshop was part of an advocacy effort by victims and human rights groups to seek […]

SRI LANKA: The need to protect the integrity of the Judiciary & Lawyers who work to uphold the Rule of Law

A Letter from article from Mr. Nagananda Kodotuwakku, Attorney-at-Law ( SL) and Solicitor( UK) and public interest Attorney, on 09th November 2017, to the Bar Association of Sri Lanka forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission READ LETTER HERE The Secretary The Bar Association No 153, Mihindu Mawatha Colombo 12 09th Nov 2017 The need to […]