Institutional reform

Yesterday, the CID filed a report at the Magistrates Court of Colombo, seeking to re-open criminal proceedings regarding the alleged murder of the rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. Wasim, who was a well known rugby player and voted as the most popular ruggerite for the year 2009 by Caltex Observer Touchdown Rugby quiz, was found dead […]

A Statement from TENAGANITA Women’s Force forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The U.S Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report has, for the past few years, been seen by many organizations tackling modern-day slavery as a tool for governments to undertake structural changes that would end the trafficking and enslavement of persons in their […]

The Prime Minister’s announcement for the need of a new constitution, one that will be in keeping with those found in developed countries, is quite welcome. The 1978 Sri Lankan Constitution is primitive. It is a shame on the nation. And, a change is certainly needed. However, a reminder is in order. The making of […]

On Thursday, July 23, police in Indagaw Township in Bago (Pegu) Region of Myanmar arrested human rights defender Ma Su Su Nwe and took her to the local court, where she was remanded in custody charged with trespassing under section 447 of the Penal Code: a section of law now being used with monotonous regularity […]

This Week’s Roundup begins in the Indian state of Kerala where AHRC follows up on the unique police modernisation process underway. Featured in the programme is footage of Member of the State Legislative Assembly V.T. Balram, debating this critical reform process in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The programme then revisits events in China where more […]

Post the December 16 Peshawar carnage, wherein more than 150 school children and staff were massacred by the Taliban, the government of Pakistan went into a damage control mode and drafted a 20 point “National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism and insurgency in Pakistan. Six months since its promulgation the NAP has had been […]

A total of 180,657 rural households continue to engage in manual scavenging in India, despite the inhuman practice being repeatedly outlawed by the Parliament and Judiciary. This is the state a year after the launch of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), a flagship scheme of the incumbent government, covering 4,041 statutory towns, aiming to […]

Javeria Younes The mob justice meted out to 13-year-old Samiul Alam Rajon, who was beaten to death in Bangladesh by an angry mob resolute on teaching the youngster a lesson for stealing a bicycle, is a classic case of mob madness witnessed on our streets every day. Throughout Asia, deteriorating rule of law and ineffective […]

An Announcement by the Asian Human Rights Commission This week’s Roundup begins in the Indian state of Kerala. The state government has initiated a process of police reforms. This unique initiative involves enabling the police to undertake scientific crime investigation. AHRC TV interviews AHRC Executive Director Bijo Francis to learn more about the outlook for […]

Gender jurisprudence is unheard of in the realm of Pakistan’s criminal justice system. In fact, it is continuously at discord with social norms that are enforced by the biases of the criminal justice system. While there is a preconceived notion that the criminal justice system primarily revolves around men, as men are predisposed to violence, […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the actions of the police of the Republic of Indonesia, which has been actively working towards fabricating charges in numerous recent cases. Last month, the AHRC issued an urgent appeal AHRC-UAC-070-2015 in such a case, wherein a senior Corruption Eradication Commission investigator has been arrested and charged. Since President Joko […]

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) mengecam tindakan dari Kepolisian Republik Indonesia, yang telah secara aktif melakukan rekayasa kasus dalam beragam kasus baru-baru ini. Bulan lalu, AHRC juga mengeluarkan surat desakan dengan nomor AHRC-UAC-070-2015 tentang rekayasa kasus, dimana seorang investigator senior dari Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) ditangkap dan dipidanakan. Sejak Presiden Joko Widodo akhirnya membatalkan pencalonan Komisaris Jenderal Pol […]

This week’s Roundup begins in Cambodia, where forty international NGOs are urging for the withdrawal of the draft bill called LANGO, which, if implemented, would severely curtail human rights. The proposed law aims to give government ministries sweeping, arbitrary powers without the possibility of judicial review. Freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, expression and opinion are […]

Mr. Setya Novanto Chairperson of the House of Representative  Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) Gedung Nusantara III DPR RI, Lt I Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, INDONESIA Tel    : +62 21 571 5311 / + 62 21 5715868  Fax    : +62 21 573 1967 / +62 21 5715368 Email    : set_tu_ketua@dpr.go.id Dear Mr. Novanto,  INDONESIA: Time […]

H. E. Hun Sen Prime Minister Royal Government of Cambodia Phnom Penh, Cambodia 6 July 2015 Re: Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations Dear Prime Minister Hun Sen, We, the undersigned international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and membership organizations call on the government of Cambodia to immediately withdraw the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations […]

These are crucial days for the selection and submission of party candidates for the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections to be held on 17th August 2015. This is a moment at which the nation has the right to expect from leaders of all the political parties the exercise of utmost responsibility in making these selections. A simple criteria […]

A Statement from the Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines ( HKCAHRPP ) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP) is alarmed to just learn that two more human rights defenders […]

Burma got a new government in 2010, after decades of military dictatorship. The change, by general election and under a new constitution, converted Burma from a military to a semi-military government. Some things changed, but most have remained the same.  Torture is still part and parcel of the way the military and law enforcement agencies […]

This week’s special Roundup coincides with International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The programme tunes in to AHRC partners from around the Asian region as they deliver their message to the world on this special day. Viewers can also watch AHRC TV’s special short video produced for DIGNITY Day, which is being celebrated in Copenhagen today. The […]

Throughout the world, June 26 is marked as international day in support of torture victims. In Pakistan, the Asian Human Right Commission has played an active role in mobilizing civil society with support from many partner organisations. Several activities have been planned to commemorate the day and raise awareness amongst the masses about the implications […]