Judicial system

Mr. Kanhaiya Kumar, President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), is finally out on interim bail following a Delhi High Court order. Kanhaiya has just spent 20 days in police and judicial remand on the charge of sedition. The manner and facts surrounding his arrest, charge, and detention have caused much consternation. Many eminent […]

A new wave of attacks on religious minority groups has gripped the country after the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Punjab’s former governor, for alleged blasphemy. Qadri was executed on February 29, and countrywide protests began simultaneously. On the day of Qadri’s burial, March 1, Qamar Ul Zia, a young Ahmadi businessman was […]

A group of human rights defenders in Northeast Thailand has been forced into a frivolous and damaging case in court, due to their attempts to protect community resources against a gold mining operation. According to Thailand’s Rights Coalition, Protection International, and theCommunity Resource Centre, TungkhumLimited is seeking 50 million Baht (around USD $1.4 million) in […]

A Press Releasefrom the Lawyers Council of Thailand, Human Rights and Development Foundation,The Foundation of Education and Development, Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation and Diocesan Social Action Cantre of Souratthani Catholic Foundation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) The Provincial Court of Ranong and the Juvenile and Family Court of Ranong have accepted to […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has information provided by the Commission for the Disappearances and Victims of Violence (KontraS), a national human rights organization. A light punishment was meted out to four police officers of Sungailiat Police Resort (Polres Sungailiat) in the torture to death of Mr. Suharli (alias Tembo). Despite the […]

This week AHRC TV’s Just Asia begins with Burma, where four protesters already sentenced by a court in May 2015, are now facing additional charges for the same incident. Burma’s first democratic election of November 2015 has done little to curb rights violations in the country. Next, the crisis at New Delhi’s Jawarhalal Nehru University […]

The Opening Statement of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the 31st Regular Session of the Human Rights Council is forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Opening Statement to the 31st session of the Human Rights Council Distinguished Presidents of the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly – and President Lykketoft, […]

An oped from the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission A lot of Nepalese suffered terribly at the hands of both the state and the rebels during the decade-long Maoist conflict. However, since most of the victims have little voice, many of their stories are yet to be heard. Civilians were caught […]

While religious diversity forms the bedrock of a civilized democratic state, the right to propagate and freely practice one’s religion is strictly restricted by Pakistan’s orthodox clergy, which is bent upon imposing its own version of the state religion. There is a growing concern within the country over the shrinking social space for minorities. Far […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) partner organization the Terai Human Rights Defenders (THRD) Alliance have secured information that the Nepal police have started arresting Madhesi protesters in different cases, mostly related toevents that occurred during the 5 month long protests and blockade in the southern plains. This is a systematic trend of charging with […]

In this week’s episode, Just Asia covers the commemoration of the 1989 Talangsari Massacre in Indonesia. Although the Talangsari Massacre was mentioned by President Widodo as one of his government’s priorities, until now no concrete solution has been provided. Next, Just Asia looks at the unrest at India’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The unrest […]

Although the right to education is a fundamental human right recognised throughout the civilised world, girls in Pakistan still have to fight for the right. Many even lose their life in this battle, such as 17-year-old Saqiba. A student of the Government Girls Degree College in Muslim Bagh, Balochistan, Saqiba Hakim Kakar committed suicide on […]

Torture, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings have become endemic in the country marred by internal conflict. Rule of law and justice have become a distant dream for the victims and families of missing persons. And, disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture in custody and arbitrary detentions, have been given legal and constitutional coverage by the government. Through […]

The trouble fomenting in Indian varsities ever since the new government came to power has now reached one of the most prestigious universities of the country, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The stir ostensibly started after a group of students organized an event commemorating the death anniversary of Afzal Guru and called his hanging a […]

An Open Letterfrom 22 Right Livelihood Award Laureatesforwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) To, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Respected King, The poet, art curator and Palestinian refugee Ashraf Fayadh, was sentenced to death by beheading, on November 17, 2015, by decision of the government of Saudi […]

This week’s episode of Just Asia focuses on Hong Kong, where the first day of the Lunar New Year saw violent clashes between protesters and police. The unrest caused shock and increased the sense of uncertainty lingering in the wake of the disappearance of five booksellers in January. The violence erupted overnight as police attempted […]

One year has passed since the appointment of the new government. Undoubtedly, some changes have taken place and further changes are being discussed. However, there is one very important – perhaps the most important – issue, which has been entirely ignored. This fundamental omission concerns the stability of Sri Lanka as a nation; it is […]

An oped from the Kathmandu Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Widely awaited yet secretly formed, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) have spent the first year of their two-year term without doing any substantive work. Both the commissions have blamed the government […]

Dear Friends, The AHRC has received information about the cold blooded murder of a police officer, Mr. P.J. Marbaniang, in Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya. The murder took place on the same day Mr. Marbaniang detained 32 trucks that were illegally transporting coal. The coal was being illegally transported despite the orders against such transportation […]

In this episode, Just Asia continues to cover critical human rights flashpoints in Asia. In Pakistan, three employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have been killed in clashes near the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, on February 3. The employees were on a countrywide protest against privatization of the national airlines. Around 30 persons have also been […]