Human rights defenders

INDONESIA: Torture is still big homework for Indonesia

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) supports Indonesian civil society organisations to promote the eradication of torture. The organisations consist of the Sekretariat RFP (Aliansi Masyarakat Sipil untuk Reformasi Kepolisian), the LBH Masyarakat (LBHM), the Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI) and the Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan (KontraS). June 26 is […]

SRI LANKA: The response of Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka to the statement made by the Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on 19th of June

A statement from the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka Published by News First forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission We are forwarding below the report of the News First published on 24th of June, which is a response by the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka in response to an attack made by the Minister […]

INDONESIA: CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM DISRUPTED, PROTESTS STIFLED AND REPRESSION IN PAPUA CONTINUES DESPITE UN REVIEW

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission In Indonesia, civic space remains rated as “obstructed”. Among the main concerns are the use of restrictive laws, including defamation provisions against human rights defenders and journalists as well as harassment and threats against them. The authorities have criminalised Papuan activists for their peaceful […]

NEPAL: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, MEDIA GROUP CHAIR TARGETED TO SILENCE DISSENT WHILE PROTESTS DISRUPTED

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The state of civic space in Nepal is rated as ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Documented violations of fundamental freedoms include arbitrary arrests and the use of excessive force with impunity during protests, as well as the ongoing targeting of journalists, including through harassment, […]

SRI LANKA:Economic, governmental, legal: not three crises but one

(Sharing a link to a video explaining the Sri Lankan crisis of governance, Economy and Rule of Law. This video was prepared as a part of an ongoing discussion on the need of system change) Link to the Video  The purpose of this short article is to point to the need to focus on the […]

PAKISTAN: ACTIVISTS AND JOURNALISTS TARGETED, INCREASED CONTROLS ON ONLINE EXPRESSION AND CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTS

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The CIVICUS Monitor added Pakistan to its watchlist of countries in March 2024, following the repression against the opposition, the censorship of journalists and attacks on peaceful protests around the elections. Other ongoing concerns include the criminalisation, threats and harassment of human rights defenders and the […]

INDONESIA: UN Human Rights Committee highlights serious human rights violations in Indonesia – the Indonesian Government must stop the chain of impunity

(Hong Kong, May 02, 2024)  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRS) supports the statement of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a famous national non-Governmental organisation (NGO) in Indonesia, regarding the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee issuing a document of observations (concluding observations) and recommendations regarding the human rights situation […]

SRI LANKA: AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO STIFLE PROTESTS, HARASS ACTIVISTS AND PUSH REPRESSIVE LAWS

A Statement from CIVICUS forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The CIVICUS Monitor in December 2023 downgraded Sri Lanka’s civic space rating to ‘repressed,’ with authorities clamping down on protesters, stifling journalists and targeting activists amid mounting public frustration with poor governance and a lack of accountability. In January 2024, Human Rights Watch said […]

INDONESIA:Acquittalverdict of Haris and Fatia is a victory for the freedom of expression

(Hong Kong, January 16, 2024) The Panel of Judges at the East Jakarta District Court has issued an acquittal verdict regarding the case of criminalisation against Ms. Fatia Maulidiyanti (the Director of the Commission for the Disappearances and Victims of Violence [KontraS] for the 2020-2023 period) and Mr. Haris Azhar (the Founder of the LOKATARU […]

SRI LANKA: IMF observations on an Independent Prosecution office for Sri Lanka

IMF in its recent report issued in September titled Sri Lanka; Technical Assistance Report-Governance Diagnostic Assessment, has directed its attention to the problems relating to the independence in conduct of prosecutions into crimes in Sri Lanka. It points to the absence of independent prosecutor in Sri Lanka and also notes that this given rise to real or perceived […]

BANGLADESH: ADN Condemns Unjust Imprisonment of Bangladeshi HRDs Adilur Rahman and Nasiruddin Elan

A Statement from Asia Democracy Network forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Seoul, Korea – The Asia Democracy Network (ADN) vehemently condemns the recent sentencing of Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan, activists attached to the Odhikar human rights organization in Bangladesh. Their unjust imprisonment on trumped-up charges is a grave violation of their […]

INDONESIA: Anamicus curiaebriefon the case of Mr. Haris Azhar dan Ms. Fatia Maulidiyanti

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to the Panel Judges: 1. A case register Number No. 202/Pid.Sus/2023/PN Jkt.Tim (Suspect Mr. Haris Azhar) 2. A case register Number. 203/Pid.Sus/2023/PN Jkt.Tim (Suspect: Ms. Fatia Maulidiyanty) Jl. Dr. Sumarno No. 1, RT.7/RW.4, Penggilingan, Kec. Cakung, Kota Jakarta Timur DKI Jakarta -13940 Telp : +622148703788 | Faks […]

ශ්‍රී ලංකා:නීතියමතපාලනයහාප්‍රතිත්‍රස්ථවාදීපනත්කෙටුම්පත

බැසිල් ප්‍රනාන්දු නීතියමත පාලනය පිළිබදව වර්ථමාන කාලය තුල ලිය වී ඇති පොත් අතර ඉතාමත් ප්‍රසිද්ධියට පත් පොතක් වූයේ ටොම් බින්ග්හම් (Tom Bingham) සාමිවරයා විසින් ලියන ලද නීතිය මත පාලනය (The Rule of Law) යන පොතය. එම පොත නීතිය මත පාලනය යන නමින් සිංහලට පරිවර්ථනය කොට ඇත. එම පොතෙහි නීතිය මත පාලනය යන්න පිළිබදව ඇති නිර්වචනයය […]

INDONESIA: The police must immediately stop the investigation and prosecution of three human rights defenders

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to the Chief of National Police  General of Police Listyo Sigit Prabowo Chief of National Police (KAPOLRI) Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan 12110 Indonesia  Tel: +62 21 384 8537, 726 0306 Fax: +62 21 7220 669 E-mail: info@polri.go.id Dear General,  INDONESIA: The police […]

SRI LANKA:AHRC condemns the murder of Nimal Amarasiri caused by misuse of teargas on peaceful protesters

Read the statement in Sinhala මෙම ලිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න Mr. Nimal Amarasiri, a candidate in a local government election, was killed after a tear gas attack on 26th February while participating in a protest against the attempt to postpone the local government elections.  There was no justifiable grounds at all for the use of teargas […]

INDONESIA: Waiting for the follow-up on the State’s regret and acknowledgment of 12 past cases of serious human rights violations

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to the President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. Joko Widodo President of the Republic of Indonesia Jl. Veteran No. 16 Jakarta Pusat Indonesia Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 Dear Mr. President: INDONESIA: Waiting for the follow-up on the State’s […]

Indonesia: The Government must seriously consider that the enactment of the RKUHP leaves serious problems

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to the President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. Joko Widodo President of the Republic of Indonesia Jalan Veteran No. 16 Jakarta Pusat Indonesia Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 Dear Mr. President: Indonesia: The Government must seriously consider that the […]

NEPAL: Ensure dignity, freedom, and justice for all

Statement | Nepal | 10-12-2022

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2022 Nepal successfully conducted its parliamentary election on November 20, 2022. Successful in the sense that many young and energetic faces have been elected in this election. Nepalese voters were fed up and even frustrated with the traditional […]

BANGLADESH: Government Must Stop Hate Campaign against UN Independent Experts and Rights Group Odhikar

Bangladesh Government must stop its hate campaigns against the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) of the United Nations and human rights group Odhikar. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerns over the continuation of gross human rights violations including enforced disappearances1 and extrajudicial killings in the country even after the visit […]

INDONESIA : The non-judicial settlement team for past human rights abuses and its membership’s composition contrary to the international human rights standard

A few weeks ago, President Joko Widodo issued Presidential Decree Number 17 of 2022 concerning the establishment of a non-judicial settlement team for serious past human rights violations. We agree with the statement of the victims of past human rights abuses and their families, namely that the Presidential Decree 17 of 2022 is a means […]