Judicial system

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) appreciates India’s promise to protect and promote a pluralistic civil society. In a speech delivered in a parallel event during the 25th Human Rights Council Session, India said: “[a] pluralistic civil society complements government activities as it is often involved in local level development, advocacy, action research and social […]

Additional session judge, Chaudhry Ghulam Murtaza, sentenced a young Christian, Sawan Masih 26, to death and fined him Rs. (PKR) 200,000/= in the same prison courtroom he has been confined in since March last year. He was found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) under blasphemy law 295-C. Although judges have the option to […]

Dear friends,  We wish to share with you the following statement issued by the Intentional Commission of Jurists (ICJ)  while welcoming the just adopted third UN resolution on Sri Lanka. Asian Human Rights Commission  Hong Kong ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-FST-025-2014 March 27, 2014 A statement from the International Commission of Jurists ( ICJ) forwarded […]

We wish to share with you the following article from Prachatai website, written by Thaweeporn Kunmetha. In October 2003, Jawa Jalo, an ethnic Lahu, was captured by armed state officials during a search of a litchi farm in a northern border province. Although the officials who captured him reported to their commanders that no illicit drugs were […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to congratulate the Filipino people, notably the people of Mindanao, for the landmark signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) today. The MILF is the biggest rebel group in Mindanao. After 17 years of protracted […]

A girl recently killed herself in Kathmandu after the police dilly-dallied in helping her to find justice. The girl had been raped by her father’s business partner. Instead of acting quickly, the police delayed registering a case. Registration was done only after some pressure. The girl became psychologically fragile, but there was no one to […]

Qatar, in its desperate rush to host 2022 FIFA World Cup, has emerged as a new killing field for migrant workers mainly from South Asia. With the death toll having gone beyond 1200 already and estimated to reach a staggering high of 4000 before the first ball is kicked in the event opener, it could […]

Today, as the United Nations commemorates the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) reiterates its strong condemnation against the arbitrary arrest and detention of Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13-year old daughter and the intensifying intimidation […]

To, Representatives of all political parties of India The World’s largest democracy has plunged into the election season as the 16thLokh Sabha elections are approaching. The environment is tense. While you all are busy organizing rallies, giving speeches, proving yourself better and different from others, the media and the public are busy in speculations and […]

Acid attack is a heinous form of violence, one that has instantaneous and lifelong consequences for victims and survivors. Acid violence constitutes a perennial rights violation issue for women in several Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Cambodia. Even though acid violence occurs against men and boys, it is categorized as gender-based violence […]

According to a research, modern day trafficking, aka slavery is a $32 billion annual industry and according to the U.N. about 2.5 million people around the world are ensnared in the web of human trafficking at any given time.  The usual victims of atrocious crimes of sexual and gender based violence, including rape against women […]

We reproduce below copies of the court orders. The first order states that, as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) is conducting an investigation into the terrorist activities of the LTTE and that if the information gathered during this investigation is given to local or international persons there will be great damage […]

It is widely reported that Acts relating to national security created in various names throughout in Asia have been used, not to protect national security per se, but to oppress persons holding different ideas, or opinions, or critical of policies of the government. It is also a recognised trend that human rights defenders have been […]

Although the ethnic war between the Tamil LTTE and the Sinhalese forces of the Sri Lankan government ended in May 2009, the ethics of the conflict is still current. It is being discussed in institutions in Geneva, USA, Canada, UK, EU and many other countries. It is the ethics of the war that the international […]

The AHRC would like to congratulate the Jagaran Media Center for launching a national campaign of community radios of Nepal against all kinds of discriminations, especially against caste-based discrimination and untouchability on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21st March 2014. A ‘South Asian Parliamentary Forum’ and ‘Asia Dalit Rights […]

There are estimated 15,451 pending cases at the Supreme Court (SC) of Nepal. Last year the Supreme Court gave final decisions on only 4360 cases. There are still 12,114 pending cases from last year and 8097 registered this year that makes total of 20,211 pending cases at the SC. So far this year, the SC […]

The draft resolution which is soon to be debated can be looked at within a wider perspective from the point of view of the chaos that resulted from insurgencies and counter-insurgencies in all parts of the country since 1971, and by looking more closely into the reestablishment of order within a framework of the rule […]

Today the AHRC releases the 22th Episode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup. In this week’s programme we report about the teenager in Pakistan who set herself on fire when the men who gang raped her were released after bribing the police. Manipuri hunger striker Irom Sharmila, who has spent 14 years protesting the Armed Forces […]

Dear Madame Pillay, Nanda Prasad Adhikari and Gangamaya Adhikari of Phujel Village of Gorkha District have been on hunger strike together for the last 146 days demanding action against those responsible for the murder of their son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari. Their health condition is fast deteriorating, and it is time for the newly-elected Government of […]

18th March 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned by the arrest and detention last week of several individuals in the North and East, including Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). CPA condemns these attempts by the Government of Sri Lanka […]