Freedom of expression

Basil Fernando In a previous article, SRI LANKA: The Supremacy of the national security apparatus, we discussed the issue of the Ministry of Defence being the most important institution in Sri Lanka, after the institution of the Executive President. This implies that the ministry is more important than the parliament and the judiciary within the new […]

According to reports the office of a well-known online daily newspaper based in Colombo, Sri Lanka is currently being raided. The raid is being conducted by dozens of security officers of the Ministry of Defense. According to a source quoted in the Sri Lanka Guardian, the security officers entered the offices showing a search warrant […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the shooting, beatings and assaults directed by security officers against peaceful protesters in Sentani, Papua on 4 June 2012. The shooting and attacks allegedly resulted in the death of three protesters while 45 others were arrested and some ill-treated. The protest was organised […]

Dear friends, We wish to share with you the following joint press release to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand regarding the release of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a labour activist in Thailand. For inquiries, please contact to Mr. Na Hyun Phil from Korean House for International Solidarity by email (khis21@hanmail.net). Asian Human Rights Commission […]

Full text of the speech delivered by Nilantha Ilangamuwa at the event jointly organised by the Asian Human Rights Commission and the University of Hong Kong on Freedom of Expression and torture prevention at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club (FCC), Hong Kong. June 25, 2012 Understanding the role of journalists on preventing torture and protection of […]

NfR Sri Lanka, a network of Sri Lankan journalists and human rights defenders condemns the blocking of five tamil language news websites which report on Sri Lanka. In a situation where print and electronic media is under severe self censorship,  internet based media plays a critical role in providing information on Sri Lanka. NfR sources […]

(Hong Kong, June 22, 2012) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) at the University of Hong Kong, are inviting journalists for a discussion with former journalists and the widow of a murdered journalist about the importance of the prevention of torture to promote freedom of expression. The […]

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 […]

[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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, 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, 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, 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, […]