Institutional reform

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received a detailed complaint from Mrs. Herath Mudiyanselage Podi Kumarihami of Poojanagaraya, Mahiyangana, in the Badulla District. Her complaint reveals that the Magistrate of the Mahinganaya Magistrate’s Court, Ms. Thisani Thenabadu has taken several actions against. The Petitioner alleges that the said Magistrate has been harassing her and violating […]

Paris-Geneva-Hong-Kong, November 24, 2016 – After 1,322 days in arbitrary detention, journalist Mr. Mahmudur Rahman has been finally released on bail this afternoon. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcome his long-overdue release, and urge authorities to drop all pending charges against him. Acting […]

The Police, Prosecution, Judiciary, and Jails are designed to protect perpetrators of crime that are associated with the powerful elites in the country. This is how the system was devised over 200 years ago, and all who are associated with the institutions have only further twisted this system against the common people since. The lifespan […]

By Avinash Pandey Even if one puts the cacophonous debate on the merits and demerits of demonetisation of Rupees 500 and 1000 currency notes aside, one thing is clear: it has hit hard the farmers all set to sow Rabi crops. Almost entirely dependent upon cash transactions for everything, starting from buying seeds and fertilisers, […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, where terrorist attacks continue despite the Pakistan army’s various anti-terror operations. In the latest attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the crowded courtyard of Sufi Saint Shah Noorani’s shrine on November 12, killing some 60 persons and injuring 156. The Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan’s Hub […]

The Pakistan desk of Asian Human Rights Commission has this time comes out with animated video on custodial torture which is discussing the menace of torture in the country. This video covers the practice of torture and ill-treatment in three parts. Human rights can be rooted in a society only when the ethical and moral […]

This week Just Asia begins with Hong Kong, where more than 2000 lawyers marched silently in black on Tuesday, protesting against Beijing’s interpretation of the Basic Law, to prevent two elected activists from taking up their seats in parliament. Prominent advertisements in Tuesday morning papers read ‘Beijing destroys rule of law—Hong Kong world city no […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that in retaliation to locals refusing to supply arms to the international terrorist organisations Taliban and Al-Qaida, Army officers have blown up a two-storey business centre, which had more than 150 shops and four commercial halls. This incident has occurred in Wana City, the headquarters of […]

(Released on 5 November 2016) parents of Mr. Anan Kerdkaew, a suspect who died in police custody while being interrogated, shall file a charge against the Royal Thai Police with the South Bangkok Civil Court about the injuries and death of Mr. Anan Kerdkaew. Mr. Anan was arrested on 9 November 2015 being suspected of […]

Bangladesh’s Government and its law-enforcement agencies have earned a reputation for refusing to take responsibility for the crimes they commit institutionally or that agency personnel commit in their individual capacity. The Bangladesh Government and its law-enforcement agencies have been shamelessly denying their involvement in enforced disappearances despite over 300 people having been disappeared by Bangladesh […]

Beginning with Thailand this week, the Provincial Court of Songkhla read the verdict of Appeals Court Region 9 regarding the case of Mr. Anat Hayeemasae, former member of the Satun Provincial Administration Organization (PAO). He had appealed the order of the Court of First Instance, which had sentenced him to 22-years-and-six-months-imprisonment for an offence against […]

Sadly, in an atrocious system where innocents spend decades behind bars awaiting justice to be served on them, instead death penalties are handed down as state sanctioned murder. The lack of justice sector reforms coupled with near-collapsed institutions of criminal justice has yet again caused a grotesque miscarriage of justice. In a shocking revelation on year after […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Rasika Jayasekara (33), his parents Mr. K.M J Bandara (69), and Mrs. W.M. Kumarihami (60) of No: 22/1, Waragolla Yaya, Senerathwela, Digana in Kandy District, were assaulted by his neighbour W.M. Senrathwela, and his two sons Danushka Lasantha and Nuwan Chanka. Rasika […]

This week Just Asia begins with Nepal, where 22 Madhesi activists were arrested on October 23 while participating in a Leadership Development workshop. Affiliated with Dr. C.K. Raut and his campaign, the activists from Nawalparasi District were meeting at a local hotel. A group of around 40 police officers abruptly closed the workshop, hit the […]

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has recently rebuked her political counterpart and former Premier Khaleda Zia that the latter “lacks courage” and “just can’t face the court”. In a meeting at her official residence, on 12 October 2016, Hasina said that her government is being blamed for pursuing false cases. She asked, “Which case filed […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about the publication of a paper analysing the Indonesian Universal Periodic Review (UPR) first cycle session in 2008 and second cycle session in 2012. This paper is published to prepare for the third cycle of the Indonesian UPR in 2017. It will help to asses and monitor the extent of progress of […]

Beginning with Pakistan this week, the appeal of Ms. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy and on death row for the past seven years, has been further adjourned by the Supreme Court. After receiving threats from fundamentalists, Justice Hamid-ur Rehman recused himself from hearing the appeal. Asia Bibi’s lawyer said it would probably […]

Basil Fernando The basic premise of Frank de Silva’s article ‘Proposed change to criminal law – now withdrawn’ which appeared in the Island newspaper recently is summed up in the following paragraph, “The difference is also that the opponents – the HRC and the BASL going by media reports – are conscious only of rights, not […]

Just Asia begins this week the detention of Hong Kong student activist Joshua Wong at Bangkok airport, for being a threat to Thailand’s national security. Invited to give a talk at Chulalongkorn University, Joshua was barred from entering the country by immigration officials. According to the Thai Deputy Police Commissioner, Joshua’s detention was purely a […]

Basil Fernando Kadireshan Ravishankar, 34 was severely tortured by the HQI and other officers of the Hatton police station merely for failing to provide a haircut immediately on his order a couple of days ago. The case exposes the dangers of not allowing lawyers from representing their clients at police station, an amendment Minister of […]