Freedom of expression

Yesterday (19th June 2012) Sri Lanka’s United National Party (UNP) published a statement demanding the resignation of the Secretary of Defence. The UNP claimed that the resignation was warranted in light of the recent deaths of two people at the JVP meeting at Katuwana, Hambantota. However, a larger issue that should be considered in this […]

The power of a community depends not only upon its numbers and its economic resources and its technical capacity, but also upon its beliefs. (Bertrand Russell – Power – P. 99) The problem is not rising from outside but rather from within themselves. As long as the world about them does not change, the regime will […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the verdict delivered by Muaro Sijunjung District Court in the case of Alexander Aan who resides in Padang and was charged with religious blasphemy, atheism propagation and dissemination of religious hostility. On 14 June 2012, the Court found Alexander Aan guilty of […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission Phnom Penh, 30th May 2012– We, Cambodian and International civil society organizations represented in this statement, condemn the use of armed force and escalating violence against citizens peacefully defending their land, labor and natural resources rights. We are referring to not only the events earlier last […]

[อ้างถึง: AHRC-UAU-017-2012 ประเทศไทย: ศาลมีกำหนดอ่านคำพิพากษาสำคัญเกี่ยวกับเสรีภาพในการแสดงออกในคดีของ น.ส.จีรนุช เปรมชัยพร – ขอให้มีผู้มาสังเกตการณ์คดีจำนวนมาก AHRC-STM-099-2012: ประเทศไทย: ความกังวลต่อความล่าช้าในการอ่านคำพิพากษาคดีอาญาต่อนักรณรงค์ด้านเสรีภาพสื่อ] ——————————————————————— ประเทศไทย: คำพิพากษาที่สำคัญอย่างยิ่งในคดีที่เกี่ยวกับเสรีภาพในการแสดงออก ประเด็น: เสรีภาพในการแสดงออก อิสรภาพทางอินเตอร์เน็ต ผู้ต่อสู้เพื่อปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชน ——————————————————————— เรียน กัลยาณมิตร เมื่อวันที่ 30 พฤษภาคม 2555 ศาลอาญา กรุงเทพฯ ได้อ่านคำพิพากษาคดีหมายเลขดำที่ 1667/2553 โดย น.ส.จีรนุช เปรมชัยพร ถูกกล่าวหาว่า กระทำความผิดต่อพระราชบัญญัติว่าด้วยการกระทำผิดเกี่ยวกับคอมพิวเตอร์ พ.ศ.2550 น.ส.จีรนุช อายุ 44 ปี เป็นเว็บมาสเตอร์ เว็บไซต์ประชาไท สำนักข่าวอิสระทางอินเตอร์เน็ต ซึ่งทำหน้าที่เป็นเวทีแลกเปลี่ยนข่าวสารที่สำคัญ รวมทั้งการแลกเปลี่ยนความเห็นและการถกเถียงประเด็นต่าง ๆ ในช่วงกว่าเจ็ดปีที่ผ่านมาในประเทศไทย ข้อกล่าวหาต่อเธอเกิดขึ้นเนื่องจาก การที่เธอถูกกล่าวหาว่า ไม่สามารถลบข้อความที่หมิ่นต่อสถาบันพระมหากษัตริย์ ออกจากเว็บบอร์ดประชาไทได้เร็วเพียงพอ ศาลมีคำพิพากษาว่า น.ส.จีรนุชมีความผิด หนึ่งกระทง จากสิบกระทงตามข้อกล่าวหา และตัดสินจำคุกเป็นเวลาหนึ่งปี และปรับ 30,000 […]

Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC have expressed concerns on blocking website of a Bangladeshi Christian journalist and human right activist on writing a poem against oppression and human right violation. Mr. William Gomes is always targeted by Bangladeshi administration on his campaign for social justice in society for which he […]

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Home Affairs Mr. Shamsul Haque Tuku has advised the journalists to keep a ‘safe distance’ from the country’s police while both the journalists and the police are on duty. The minister is cited in the national media including The Daily Star’s online edition on 30 May 2012, that he said, “I […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, the Criminal Court read its verdict in the case in Black Case No. 1667/2553, in which Chiranuch Premchaiporn was charged with ten alleged violations of the 2007 Computer Crimes Act (CCA). Chiranuch is the 44-year-old webmaster of Prachatai, an independent online news site, which has served as an important […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, at 10 am in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the verdict in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, charged with ten counts of allegedly violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act in Black Case No. 1667/2553, will be read. The reading, which had been scheduled for one month ago, was unexpectedly […]

Once again journalists have been physically attacked in Bangladesh. The attack happened on Monday night, 28 May 2012, at the office of BD News24.Com, an online bilingual national news portal of the country. This time the journalists and their associate staff were stabbed by a gang. Three victims including Sub-editor Newaz Mohammed Rifaat, Correspondent Salahuddin […]

Dear friends, On 30 May 2012, at 10 am in the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the verdict in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, charged with ten counts of allegedly violating the 2007 Computer Crimes Act in Black Case No. 1667/2553, will be read. The reading, which had been scheduled for one month ago, was unexpectedly […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) concerning the service of a “show cause” notice to human rights defender Ms Madhuri Krishnaswami on 10 May 2012 by District Magistrate Barwani in Madya Pradesh state. This “show cause” notice requests Madhuri to justify why she should […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is informed that District Magistrate Barwani in Madhya Pradesh state has issued a “show cause” notice to human rights defender Ms. Madhuri Krishnaswami on 10 May 2012 asking her why actions should not be initiated against her under the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Suraksha Adhiniyam, 1990 (Madhya Pradesh State Security, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding intimidation from the Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI) towards Ahmadiyah in Batam. Short after the religious minority group held its Friday prayer on 27 April 2012, the FPI came to Nagoya building (Ruko Nagoya) where the group members regularly hold its […]

India will be evaluated at the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland today. The three countries (Troika) involved in the review are Kuwait, Mauritius and Mexico. That these countries have worse records of human rights in comparison to the country they would collectively review suggests how firmly, and perhaps blindly, such processes are […]

The observations made by the Supreme Court of India in a case concerning disciplinary action against a former Major of the Indian Army contradict the Court’s own profile. Dismissing the appeal filed by the Major, who had filed the appeal aggrieved by the Army’s action against him, the court held that discipline is paramount in […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-104-2012 May 17, 2012 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDIA: Institutional peril and murderous politics The assassination of Mr. T. P. Chandrashekharan in Kerala on 4 May is another example of the murderous nature of politics in India. The police investigation has revealed that hired assassins executed the murder. […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two journalists have been killed while two others have received threats in separate incidents in April and May. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks on journalists as a result of their work depriving them of the protection necessary […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the attack directed by an Islamic fundamentalist group, Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI) towards an Ahmadiyah mosque in Singaparna, Tasikmalaya, West Java. The attack took place on Friday, 20 April 2012. The police was present at the time of the attack […]

Thai The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to express our grief and extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Amphon Tangnoppakul, who was found dead in prison custody on 8 May 2012. Amphon (also known to his family as “Ah Kong” or “grandfather,” and to the public at “Uncle SMS”), a 61-year-old man, […]