Judicial system

Hong Kong, March 07, 2024  As there is a curiosity on the part of many persons and organizations about the Rule issued against Mr Nagananda Kodituwakku Attorney-at-law by the Supreme Court we are sharing the basic documents that provide the essential information about this case. The Rule was made under Judicature act 42(2) while ordering […]

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 […]

PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY  Discussion at Yogyakarta State University Critics against the Regime Forcibly Dispersed by the Rector          Discussion and gathering that was planned by the students of Yogyakarta State University (UNY) and other academics, such as lecturers and professors, were forcibly dispersed by the Rector due to the committee of the discussion did not have permission from the rector. Previously, […]

(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 […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In commemorating the International Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) highlights the theme of the lack of protection of human rights defenders in Indonesia. More than 20 years’ of political reform after former dictator President Suharto stepped […]

The trial process of Ms. Fatia Maulidiyanti, a Coordinator of the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence / KontraS 2020-2023 and Mr. Haris Azhar,the Founder of the Lokataru Foundation, finally entered the stage of reading the prosecution by the Public Prosecutor (Jaksa Penuntut Umum/JPU). However, before the Prosecutor submitted the prosecution, the legal team of Fatia and Haris also submitted documentary evidence which […]

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 […]

By Basil Fernando Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville is the famous author of the book Democracy in America. It is one of the world’s best known writings which have been appreciated by many philosophers, writers, thinkers and also people in many countries. It has also been translated into many languages.  Tocqueville was a […]

By Basil Fernando The sentencing of a former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for giving illegal orders not to arrest a suspect. The reported sentencing of former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Lalith Jayasinghe, for giving illegal orders to prevent the arrest of a person allegedly involved in the shooting which resulted in […]

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 […]

(Hong Kong, August 09, 2023)  ​​​​​​​Written submission to the Supreme Court on the “Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution” Bill The Bill titled “Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution” came for discussion before the Supreme Court on the 3rd and 4th of August. After the oral submission, written submissions were allowed to be filed by […]

By Basil Fernando A month or so earlier, it was a lawyer practicing mainly in a High Court closer to Colombo, that contacted me and told me about his concerns about a draft Bill which has been discussed amongst his colleagues which was about the introduction a draft of a Contempt of Court Bill. He […]

By Basil Fernando This article is  a follow up to: 1. Does the proposed contempt of court Bill amount to 23rd amendment to the constitution?     2.  Is contempt of court unlike any other crime? To anyone who may be surprised by this question, we wish to remind that not too long ago, the issue became […]

By Basil Fernando On the larger questions raised by the arrest of Tharindu Uduwaragedera, a young journalist of very wide reputation. Tharindu Uduwaragedera who was attending a meeting on Friday (28 July) for the purpose of reporting on the meeting was forcibly dragged out of a three-wheeler, grabbed by his hair and roughly manhandled by […]

By Basil Fernando The purpose of the proposed Bill on the Contempt of Court is to criminalise the acts which may be considered to constitute the offence of contempt of court and to punish it. Clearly, this proposed Bill is meant to create offences under the contempt of court and therefore the purpose is to create […]

By Basil Fernando The draft Bill entitled ‘Contempt of Court, Tribunal or Institutions’, has been included in the parliament’s order paper and the issue of the constitutionality of this Bill will now be subjected to debate. There are several key questions arising from this draft Bill. These are:- Does this proposed law amounts to repeal […]

The center for religion and society (CSR) Colombo has published the 202nd issue of social justice. This publication started in August 1962 and has been regularly published ever since. Regarding this issue, the publisher states that this edition’s discussion is focus on Rule of Law, Anti-Terrorism law and other issues related to Sri Lanka.  Kindly see […]

The trial on the criminalization case against Ms. Fatia Maulidiyanti (Coordinator of KontraS) and Mr. Haris Azhar (Founder of Lokataru) entered the stage of examining the reporting witness, namely Mr. Luhut Binsar Panjaitan. At this trial, it became increasingly clear that the Public Prosecutor (JPU) no longer represented the interests of the State but behaved […]

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 […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) supports the statement of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)  condemning all forms of repression and intimidation against civil society during the preparation and implementation of the ASEAN Summit  in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT). Based on the information we received, one of […]