Institutional reform

INDONESIA: Considering Victims to Strengthen Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about an essay with title “Considering Victims to Strengthen Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”This essay reflect from the book “Just and Unjust Peace and Ethic of Political Reconciliation.” The writer also used other books to extend his view on politic of reconciliation. This essay is also reflect to the experience of politic of reconciliation in Indonesia, […]

SRI LANKA/ INDIA: Annihilation of Caste is now available for the Sinhala readers

A Sinhala Translation of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s book Annihilation of Caste is now available in Sinhala translation entitled “ Kulaya Mulin Uputa Demeema” The book has been translated into an easy, readable language by Osadhi Nayantara Gunasekera and published by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The book is now available in bookshops in Sri Lanka. Annihilation of Caste […]

PAKISTAN: Abolish blasphemy laws entirely

The horrific mob lynching of Mashal Khan has raised many questions about the utility of an archaic and draconian law that has been misused with impunity. Pakistan’s blasphemy law is a mockery of rule of law, and in fact defies common sense. What is the utility of a law that allows people to challenge the […]

SRI LANKA: Lawlessness and the Meethotamulla Garbage Dump Collapse

An Article Basil Fernando For many decades Sri Lankans have ignored the collapse of their legal system, the crisis of the judicial system and the virtual disappearance of all legal traditions. For this reason, the bond between law and social structure is now weak. This means that the law is unable to keep the political, […]

SRI LANKA: Right to Information and Batticaloa women : Hypothesis vs Reality

An Article on “Right to Information and Batticaloa women : Hypothesis vs Reality” by Radika Gunaratna , published in the Daily Mirror issue of 20 April 2017, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission By Radika Gunaratna, Attorney-at-Law, Human Rights and RTI Activist Yet, it is still questionable whether citizens from all corners felt the […]

PAKISTAN: The AHRC condemns the lynching of a university student on accusation of Blasphemy

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the brutal murder of a 23-year old student by lynching on the accusation of Blasphemy by a mob at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KPK province. The AHRC also condemns the violence in the name of blasphemy as it is deeply disturbing and sets an extremely dangerous […]

PAKISTAN: Stop crusade against Ahmadiyya community

A new wave of persecution and killings of the Ahmadi sect has started after an Islamabad high court judge took a position on religious matters of individuals, particularly about free discussions on social media. Judge Shaukat Siddiqui is generally known as a bigot and hate monger. Leading the movement for the release of Constable Mumtaz […]

AHRC TV: Over 100 foreigners die in Malaysian detention centers and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 166

This week Just Asia begins with Malaysia, where more than one hundred foreigners in immigration detention centers have died in the past two years. There were 83 deaths in 2015, and at least 35 in 2016, from various diseases and unknown causes. More than half of the 118 dead are from Burma. A commissioner from […]

NEPAL: Scourge of caste continues

It is seven decades since the Dalits joined their hands together and rallied against caste based discrimination and widespread untouchability. Dalit civil society has been active to ensure that their issues are heard and rights guaranteed. Nepal has been declared as an ‘Untouchability Free State’, while the Caste-Based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment) Act […]

INDIA: Government must investigate racist attacks and establish forums to promote inclusive atmosphere

Statement | India | 06-04-2017

On March 26, in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, India was home to a blatant display of racism, following the death of a teenage boy, Manish Khari. The teenager’s family and neighbours registered an FIR against five Nigerians in the locality, accusing them of ‘cannibalism’ and Manish’s murder, as well as of being drug peddlers […]

INDIA: Update on withdrawal of the POSCO project in Odisha

UPDATE from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) as on 5.04. 2017  Dear Friends, As you may know from the media about recent the statement by Odisha’s Industry Minister, Devi Prasad Mishra that “POSCO confirmed the withdrawal of its project by requesting the Odisha government to take back the land transferred in its name”. We strongly […]

PAKISTAN: Call for the immediate release of Academics

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the arbitrary detentions of academics by the Pakistan Rangers in a bit to stop them for holding press conference on the long detention of a retired professor who was detained without any charges. The officials of Pakistan Rangers arrested Dr. Riaz Ahmed […]

AHRC TV: Caste discrimination continues in Nepal amidst silence and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 164

Article | Asia | 24-03-2017

This week Just Asia begins with Nepal. March 21st, celebrated as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, is simply a day to mark all that is not right in Nepal. Since the day’s inception in 1960, the situation of Dalits has barely improved. There is no implementation of Nepal’s law against caste […]

CHINA: Call on for fair trial – A joint statement on the forthcoming trials of the cases of the 709 crackdown

A Statement from China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group (CHRLCG) and Taiwan Support China Human Rights Lawyers Network (TLN) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Chinese version of this statement can be viewed here ( MS Office) or here (PDF) (15 March 2017 – Hong Kong) Since 9 July 2015, the Chinese government has questioned, summoned and […]

INDIA: Racism and attacks against people from Northeast India must be investigated promptly

Statement | India | 17-03-2017

On March 6, Higio Gungtey, a 22-year-old man from Arunachal Pradesh studying in Bengaluru was allegedly beaten up by his landlord and forced to lick the landlord’s shoe, in an incident of physical assault, criminal intimidation, and apparent racism. Gungtey alleged that the landlord hurled racial slurs against him and hit him continuously, making him bleed, because of a dispute over […]

INDIA: Police modernisation in Kerala, a model for Asia

Statement | India | 16-03-2017

The Government of Kerala has this week introduced a new system, that will go a long way in improving the crime investigation in the state. The government has issued an order, that from now on, interviewing suspects in all police stations is prohibited, and that such interviews must be conducted only at what is called […]

SRI LANKA: Two more extrajudicial killings

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to The Honourable Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakse and the Honourable Minister of Law and Order & Southern Development Sagala Rathnayake 15 March 2017 Dear Ministers Wijedasa Rajapakse and Sagala Ratnayaka Two more extrajudicial killings at police stations have been reported in Sri Lanka. One of the […]

AHRC TV: International Women’s Day and other stories in JUST ASIA, Episode 162

Announcement | | 10-03-2017

This week Just Asia begins with International Women’s Day, annually celebrated on March 8. The theme for 2017 is ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030’. The idea is to work towards the 2030 Agenda, which includes ending discrimination and violence against girls and women, and ensuring free quality education for […]

INDIA: Sexual violence and religious responsibility

Statement | India | 08-03-2017

On February 27th, a Christian priest in Kerala, Mr. Robin Vadakkancherry, was arrested on charges of raping a minor-girl. The incident came to light when the Childline (1098), the crisis helpline for children in distress in India was informed of the rape. The survivor got pregnant and last month, she gave birth in a Church-run hospital in Kerala. It has been […]

PAKISTAN: International Women’s Day – L​et’s advocate change in the patriarchal mind-set

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said the following in a message on International Women’s Day. “On International Women’s Day, let us all pledge to do everything we can to overcome entrenched prejudice, support engagement and activism, promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.” The 2017 UN theme on International Women’s Day is–Women in the Changing World of Work: […]