Freedom of expression

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab, having raided the headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Community, a minority religious group, declared non-Muslim by the Constitution. During the raid, the officers manhandled and tortured persons, made four arrests, registered cases against 9, and confiscated […]

The Maoist movement in India, which allegedly claims it will uproot the Indian State by an armed insurrection, has brought organised and armed violence to the remotest countryside in higher number and intensity. The ongoing conflict has brought the State and Maoist firepower into the daily lives of some of the most marginalised of the […]

An oped from the myRepublica forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Earlier this month Nepal marked 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the decade-long armed conflict in 2006. Since then a new constitution has been promulgated and former combatants have been reintegrated into the society while some also joined security […]

This week, in its 150th episode, Just Asia begins with Burma, where the crackdown on the Rohingya may amount to ‘crimes against humanity’, says UN’s human rights agency. Since October, the Burmese military have been burning Rohingya homes, shooting people and raping women. According to John McKissick of the UN refugee agency, the government’s “ultimate […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the Nepal Police who arrested Dr. C. K. Raut and more than two hundred supporters of his campaign. They came from different districts of Nepal’s Terai. Excessive force was used. Illegal arrests were made. By contrast, Dr. Raut and his supporters were commemorating 25 November (Mangsir 10, […]

The ferocious conditions of torture in Pakistan where torture has become endemic.According to AHRC survey 80% prisoners were tortured in police custody, while 72% failed to report the same fearing repercussions. As many as 44% of the prisoners were sexually abused in detention. According to a study conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission, 80% prisoners were […]

By Avinash Pandey Even if one puts the cacophonous debate on the merits and demerits of demonetisation of Rupees 500 and 1000 currency notes aside, one thing is clear: it has hit hard the farmers all set to sow Rabi crops. Almost entirely dependent upon cash transactions for everything, starting from buying seeds and fertilisers, […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where terrorist attacks continue despite the Pakistan army’s various anti-terror operations. In the latest attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the crowded courtyard of Sufi Saint Shah Noorani’s shrine on November 12, killing some 60 persons and injuring 156. The Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan’s Hub […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding two student activists who have been arrested in Chaiyaphum province, north eastern Thailand, for distributing anti-constitution flyers. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the Phu Khiao Provincial Court postponed an evidence examination session. This is due to the fact that […]

This week Just Asia begins with Hong Kong, where more than 2000 lawyers marched silently in black on Tuesday, protesting against Beijing’s interpretation of the Basic Law, to prevent two elected activists from taking up their seats in parliament. Prominent advertisements in Tuesday morning papers read ‘Beijing destroys rule of law—Hong Kong world city no […]

Avinash Pandey The fact that the Madhya Pradesh state government has shed even the pretence of fair-trial, a cornerstone of the rule of law, has emerged as the only uncontested truth four days after the incredulous police encounter that resulted in the killing of 8 under-trial jail escapees. The circumstances of the reported jailbreak from […]

By Basil Fernando Gunadasa Amarasekera has recently published a book entitled ‘Sabyathwa RajyakKara’ (Towards an Ethical State). At around the same time, I published a book entitled ‘Dharmasokage Dhamma Prathipaththtia sahaPrajatanthrawadi watinakama’ (The Policy of Dhamma of Dharmasoka and Democratic Values). In this article, I will try to show the similarities and differences in the ideas found in these two books. The […]

Bangladesh’s Government and its law-enforcement agencies have earned a reputation for refusing to take responsibility for the crimes they commit institutionally or that agency personnel commit in their individual capacity. The Bangladesh Government and its law-enforcement agencies have been shamelessly denying their involvement in enforced disappearances despite over 300 people having been disappeared by Bangladesh […]

शैलेन्द्र प्रसाद हरिजन (अम्बेडकर) स्वाधीनता आन्दोलनको फलस्वरुप १५ अगस्ट १९४७ मा अंग्रेजहरुको गुलामीबाट मुक्त भई “स्वतन्त्र भारत”को रुपमा उदय भयो । हिन्दूबाहुल्य भारत र मुस्लिम बाहुल्य पाकिस्तान भारतबाट विभाजित भई स्वतन्त्र देशमा रुपमा स्थापित भयो । भारतको विभाजनकै क्रममा बङ्गाल पनि दुई भागमा विभाजित भयो । हिन्दू बाहुल्य क्षेत्र भारत र मुस्लिम वाहुल्य क्षेत्र (पूर्वी […]

In the continuation of animated videos on different human rights issues, this time,The Asian Human Rights Commission, issues the animated work on Extra JudicialKillings in Pakistan. Please see the video In Pakistan, every Morning news start with the extra judicial killings or encounters of at least 5 to six persons who are officially announced as the terrorists or proclaimed offenders. Besides, official […]

The Rupavahini, TV channel’s “Suba Udesanak” ( Good Morning ) programme on 28th October 2016, telecast an interview with Mr Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission where he discusses issues of human rights, and national reconciliation and their progress in Sri Lanka, in the backdrop of the two students being killed in Jaffna […]

Mr Faraz Shauketaly, Host of the News First – TV1’s “Hot Seat” programme on 26th October 2016 interviews Mr Basil Fernando, Director of Policy and Programmes of the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong on the developments with regard to the Central Bank Bond issues scandal, as well as several other pertinent issues such […]

Ever since the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) established the Ad Hoc investigation team for the Paniai case, under the decision 1 March 2016 letter of the Chair of the Komnas HAM (Number 009 / Komnas HAM / III / 2016), there is no progress in this case (see case details at AHRC-UAC-089-2015 and a […]

This week Just Asia begins with Nepal, where 22 Madhesi activists were arrested on October 23 while participating in a Leadership Development workshop. Affiliated with Dr. C.K. Raut and his campaign, the activists from Nawalparasi District were meeting at a local hotel. A group of around 40 police officers abruptly closed the workshop, hit the […]

(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 […]