Freedom of expression

News reports from Bangladesh allege that a series of attacks on demonstrators have taken place, at around 3am today, May 6, 2013. The extent of the injuries and death is difficult to be ascertained at the moment. The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper, gave the figure of deaths as 5. However, several internet reports have mentioned that the […]

Some call it the land of murder; it is also known as the land of rape; the land of robbery; the land of corruption; the land of criminals and the land of liars! It must be asked if our country has lost its identity with the positive values in life and in doing so has […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns in the strongest terms the announcement of the commander of the Sagaing Region Police Force, Myanmar, that the police will arrest and charge eight human rights defenders whom it blames for inciting protests against the army-backed copper mine project at the Letpadaung Hills, in Monywa. The commission also condemns […]

The General should be prosecuted for betraying his oath as a member of the Armed Forces Just twenty days before the general elections the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, has come out with a policy statement which gives the political views of the Army. The statement was delivered with the express […]

The authorities in Bangladesh, yesterday, shifted the Interim Editor of Daily Amar Desh, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Muzib Medical University (BMSSU). Rahman is detained at the Kashimpur Central Jail since 17 April 2013. The court had allowed Rahman to be detained in police remand for six days, before the police handed him over […]

แถลงการณ์ของ Finnwatch 1 เมษายน 2556 การดำเนินคดีกับนักวิจัยของ Finnwatch เป็นการโจมตีนักปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชน และเสรีภาพในการแสดงความเห็น ทางการไทยจะต้องดำเนินการสืบสวนการปฏิบัติงานของบริษัท เนเชอรัล ฟรุต และ บริษัท แนท กรุ๊ป (NatGroup) ซึ่งเป็นบริษัทแม่ และจะต้องมีการพิจารณาถึงประเด็นด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนในการเจรจาข้อตกลงการค้าเสรีระหว่างประเทศไทยกับสหภาพยุโรปด้วย บริษัท เนเชอรัล ฟรุต (Natural Fruit) ผู้ผลิตสับปะรดกระป๋องและน้ำผลไม้เข้มข้น ได้ยื่นฟ้องต่อนายอานดี้ ฮอลล์ ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านการย้ายถิ่นซึ่งเมื่อเร็วๆ นี้ได้ประสานงานการวิจัยภาคสนามของ Finnwatch ในประเทศไทย สองข้อหา หากศาลตัดสินว่ามีความผิด อานดี้อาจจะต้องรับโทษจำคุกนานถึงเจ็ดปี  บริษัทเนเชอรัล ฟรุต ยังเรียกร้องค่าเสียหาย 300 ล้านบาทในคดีแพ่งอีกด้วย ข้อกล่าวหาที่บริษัทฟ้องร้องนั้นเกี่ยวกับงานวิจัยของ Finnwatch ที่อานดี้เป็นผู้วิจัยในเดือนตุลาคม-พฤศจิกายน 2555 และเกี่ยวกับการสื่อสารผลของการวิจัยต่อสาธารณะ ข้อค้นพบที่น่าตระหนกที่สุดของงานวิจัยมาจากการสัมภาษณ์ลูกจ้างของบริษัทเนเชอรัล ฟรุต  คนงานของบริษัทซึ่งบางคนเป็นแรงงานข้ามชาติที่ไม่มีเอกสารเข้าเมืองตามกฎหมาย ได้เล่าถึงสภาพการทำงานที่ไม่ดี ค่าแรงต่ำกว่าที่กฎหมายกำหนด การยึดเอกสารทางการของคนงานไว้ การใช้แรงงานเด็ก และการให้คนงานทำงานล่วงเวลาเกินไปอย่างมาก  มีการบันทึกการสัมภาษณ์ไว้เป็นเอกสารและสามารถตรวจสอบได้ Finnwatch ได้นำเสนอข้อค้นพบของการวิจัยต่อกระทรวงต่างๆ […]

FINNWATCH STATEMENT 1st of April 2013 Legal actions against Finnwatch researcher are an attack against human rights defenders and freedom of expression. Thailand’s authorities must immediately launch an investigation into the operations of Natural Fruit and its parent company NatGroup. Human rights issues must be tackled also in the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations between […]

Yet another policy change by the army indicates that the Taliban are now an asset in the new develop of the region As the time of the withdrawal of the USA and the allied forces is coming closer the Pakistan army has suddenly changed its stance against the Taliban. The army has developed its new […]

Yesterday, on 11 April 2013, the authorities in Bangladesh arrested the Interim Editor of a prominent Bangladeshi daily, Daily Amardesh, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman. When Rahman was brought before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka, he reportedly said: “… I know well that if I appoint any lawyer, he or she will submit prayers for my […]

Baseer Naveed Freedom of expression is today at its lowest in the history of the country. The people of the country have, in fact, never enjoyed freedom of expression. However, during the last decade or so the governments have claimed that they have given freedom of expression to the media. This is not borne out […]

Today, 11 April 2013, the authorities in Bangladesh have arrested the Interim Editor of a prominent Bangladeshi daily, Daily Amardesh, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman. Officers raided Rahman’s office at about 8:30 am and taken away by the Detective Branch of Bangladesh Police. Rahman’s arrest is an attempt to stifle dissenting voice. Rahman is in a serious […]

It is not unusual for human rights defender to receive death threats from persons, organisations or governments that do not agree with the stance that has been taken. However, when the threats come from a journalist it reveals the devastating plunge in the right to opinion and expression that has taken place in the country […]

A Reflection by Bishop Duleep de Chickera Over the past months Sri Lankans have been educated on two Arabic words: halal and haram (that which is permissible and not permissible). Unfortunately the circumstances of learning have been an unprecedented antagonism towards the Muslim community much deeper than the halal issue. This trend must be addressed without […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the government of Pakistan, in an effort to show the international community that it is taking action against the fundamentalist and religious terrorist organizations, has revealed its continued loyalties towards the Taliban and similar terrorist groups by banning the three secular and nationalist […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about charges brought against a community educator in Burma for teaching political science. Min Min, a human rights defender based in the country’s lowland, is being prosecuted because he refused to heed warnings that he not teaches a course on political science at his […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has since mid-2012 closely followed, documented and reported on the struggle of farmers in the Letpadaung Hills of central Burma against the expansion of a copper mining operation under a military-owned holding company and a partner compay from China. After repeatedly being refused permission to demonstrate against the operation under the […]

Dear friends,             The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding an indefinite hunger strike (fast unto death) undertaken by the people affected by the steep hike in user fee in the Sanjeevani Hospital run in Shaktinagar by the National Thermal Power Corporation. The AHRC has learnt that […]

In two separate incidents, two Sri Lankan monks have been attacked in India. These two attacks are a continuum to previous assaults upon Sri Lankan nationals visiting India. These incidents are criminally shameless and display a despicable disregard to foreigners traveling to India. They are an affirmation of the inability of a few individuals to […]

Countless individuals accused of apostasy and blasphemy face threats, imprisonment, and execution. Blasphemy laws in over 30 countries and apostasy laws in over 20 aim primarily to restrict thought, expression and the rights of Muslims, ex-Muslims and non-Muslims alike. On 14 March 2013, we, the undersigned, call for an international day of action to defend […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is requesting your intervention to demand that an investigation be conducted into allegations of the violent dispersal of protesting students. The students, who were opposing the appointment of the new head of a State university due to allegation of corruption, were attacked by joint forces of the […]