Freedom of expression

By Basil Fernando I do not know Poddala Jayantha personally. However, I have felt for several years and still strongly feel that I as a human being, and we as Sri Lankans, owe a serious obligation to him. I remember the first day I heard about the cruel way he was dealt with some 7 […]

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 […]

This week Just Asia begins with the attack on a peaceful public protest in North Sulawesi, Indonesia on June 1, calling for professionalism by parliamentarians, and the prosecution of those involved in illegal drugs. While waiting to have a dialogue with some parliamentarians at the Manodo parliament office, the student protesters were suddenly attacked by […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to mark 31 May 2016 as an important date in Thailand’s history with respect to the protection of human rights defenders. On this day, the Provincial Court in Thailand, Northeast, delivered its official verdict, convicting two military officers accused of violent assault against villagers who opposed a mine […]

A State that prides itself on being a nuclear State, a symbol of strength and technological advancement, needs a double take. There is something very wrong in a nation and a society where the most fundamental human relationships are mired in violent brutality. Ms. Zeenat 17, was caught off guard when her own mother doused […]

A Press release by the Right Livelihood Foundation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). 8 June 2016 Today, the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament, Urban Ahlin, has told the Swedish TT news agency today that the Right Livelihood Award will not be allowed to host its annual ceremony in Riksdagen, breaking the 30-year […]

Acceptance Speech, Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy By George Katsiaficas for the 2016 Kim Dae Jung Scholar’s Prize for Democracy, Peace, and Human Rights, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea, June 8, 2016, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong. “Gwangju 518 and the Future of Global Democracy” – By George Katsiaficas […]

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 […]

Fifteen-year-old Javaid Hussain was arrested on 11 May 2016 by the Frontier Corps (FC) of Pakistan Army, for allegedly attacking security forces. According to the media, an event was organized in Kurram Agency, Federally Administration Tribal Areas (FATA) to commemorate the birth of Hazrat Ali, son in law of Prophet Muhammad, and several religious scholars […]

An editorialfrom the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission After the historic election of OnsariGharti as the Speaker of Parliament and Bidhya Devi Bhandari as the President, Senior Supreme Court Justice Shushila Karki, on Tuesday, became the first woman member in the Judicial Council. Karki will be appointed as the chief justice […]

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 […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about police brutality provided by the Indonesian Student Christian Movement (GMKI) Manado branch office, North Sulawesi Province. Police officers supported by the civil service police unit (Satpol PP) and staff employees of the local parliament (DPRD) attacked the protesters. Rather than accommodate the protesters’ […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

(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 […]

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 […]

Members of families of 19 disappeared victims once again took to the street, yesterday, 26 May 2016. They formed a “human chain” in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka to demand the return of their loved ones within the month of Ramadan. Prominent human rights defenders, members of the civil society, and academic […]

Just Asia begins this week with a ground breaking report on Nepal’s anti-Constitution protests, in which over 40 persons died. Published jointly by the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance, the report concludes that security forces consistently engaged in excessive use of force against protestors and bystanders from August 2015 […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Papua itu Kita, LBH Jakarta, SKP-HAM Sulawesi Tengah, SETARA Institute, IKOHI, AJAR, LBH Pers, LBH Semarang, LBH Bandung, Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), Imparsial, SIMPONI (Sindikat Musik Penghuni Bumi), CEDAW Working Group Indonesia (CWGI), Yayasan Satu Keadilan, Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI), Purple Code […]