Impunity

The value of the rupee came down to 131 for a US dollar. This is the highest point reached relating to the value of a rupee ever. In all likelihood, it will go up further even though by artificial means, it may be brought down a little now and then. Thus, the high devaluation of […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms the decision of the government, made on February 27, 2012, to recommend the withdrawal of nearly 425 criminal cases. It is now up to the judiciary to exercise due diligence over the cases under their jurisdiction, to ensure that the reasons for […]

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa Speech after long silence; it is right, All other lovers being estranged or dead, Unfriendly lamplight hid under its shade, The curtains drawn upon unfriendly night, That we descant and yet again descant Upon the supreme theme of Art and Song: Bodily decrepitude is wisdom; young We loved each other and were […]

The suicide of police officer, P G Haridath, on 15 March 2012 brings again to the limelight, issues that adversely affect criminal investigations in India. Haridath was an Additional Superintendent of Police working in the Central Bureau of Investigation. It is reported that the deceased officer was investigating the infamous Sampath murder case in Kerala […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with grave concern that the children of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the 32 journalists murdered in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre, have been subjected to overt surveillance in their home in General Santos City. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the targeting of Reblando’s widow […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning another case of brutal custodial torture by the West Bengal police of Mr. Firoj Ahmed, and of his wife Ms. Achma Bibi of Srikati village, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The incident happened on 7 February […]

The national debate regarding India’s position about the proposed resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council concerning Sri Lanka is limited to a Tamil view of the issue. The views exchanged in both houses of the country’s parliament and in the media reflect this. This parochial view about the resolution exposes the widespread lack […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from [Name of the Organisation/Media]. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A Press Release from Lawyers for Democracy forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) 13th March 2012 ‘Lawyers for Democracy’ (LfD) is gravely concerned with […]

The murder of an Indian Police Service officer Mr. Narendra Kumar on 8 March in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh has again brought to light the criminal nexus between the mining mafia operating in the country and their patrons in power who have political interests. The young, 2009-batch police officer, stationed as the Sub-Divisional Police […]

The government of Bangladesh on Monday blanked out three satellite television channels – Ekushey Television, Bangla Vision and Islamic TV – almost an hour before the leader of the opposition Begum Khaleda Zia started her speech at a four-party grand rally today, March 12, 2012. According to a Daily Star report, viewers could not watch these TV […]

The people of Bangladesh are living in a tense situation prior to a mass rally in Dhaka on March 12, 2012 called by the opposition parties against the ruling regime. The opposition political parties, led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have organised a march towards Dhaka, on March 12 which is aimed at showing their […]

INDIA: GHE fear at New Delhi Reading the proposed draft resolution mooted at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) concerning human rights in Sri Lanka, one cannot help wonder why India did not propose such a resolution before? Today by delaying in arriving at a decision, whether to support the resolution or not, India has once […]

Freedom of expression is one of the essential pre-requirements for the practice, protection and promotion of democracy. If we are to speak of a democratic Pakistan we need to examine, whether the media is free. Each and every day media professionals are facing threats of kidnapping or murder for telling the truth. The truth about […]

In October 2011 a 28-year-old woman Sumlut Roi Ja, who is the mother of 14-month-old girl, was abducted and allegedly gang-raped by the military. She was residing in Hkai Bang village, Momouk District, Kachin State, near to the border of China where a militaristic ethnic conflict is taking place. Soon after she was kidnapped her […]

In three separate open letters issued today, the Asian Human Rights Commission and Advocacy Forum have urged the leaders of the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) not to include provisions providing blanket amnesty to perpetrators of grave human rights violations in the text of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a judicial officer and a member of the National Assembly from the ruling party have forced a 17-year- old Hindu girl to convert to Islam after her abduction by notorious gangsters. After her forced marriage her whereabouts are unknown. When the Hindu girl […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission and Advocacy Forum to the Chairman of (UML) Communist Party of Nepal Mr. Jhalanath Khanal Chairman Communist Party of Nepal (UML) Central Office Madan Nagar, Balkhu P. O. Box: 5471 NEPAL Phone: 977-01-4278081/82 Fax: 977-01-4278084 Email: umlcpn@gmail.com, info@jnkhanal.com Dear Mr Khanal, NEPAL: Blanket amnesty goes against […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission and Advocacy Forum to the President of Nepali Congress Party Mr. Sushil Koirala Nepali Congress President Central Office B.P. Smriti Bhawan, B.P. Nagar, Lalitpur NEPAL Tel  : (977-1) 5555263 / 5555266 Fax : (977-1) 5555188 E-mail : ncparty@wlink.com.np Dear Mr Koirala, NEPAL: Blanket amnesty goes against […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission and Advocacy Forum to the Chairman of UCPN-Maoists Party Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” Chairman of United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) Central Office Perishdanda-Koteshwor, Kathmandu NEPAL Tel: +977 4602290 Fax:+977 4602289 Email: ucpnminfo@gmail.com Dear Mr Dahal, NEPAL: Blanket amnesty goes against the victims’ fundamental rights […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the wife of a nationalist, who has refugee status in Belgium, was prevented from leaving the country to meet her husband by the Pakistani authorities. The Pakistani authorities at the Islamabad airport told her that her name has been put on the exit […]