Judicial system

PAKISTAN: The government ignores the historical long march for the recovery of disappeared persons

Statement | Asia | 04-03-2014

The historic long march of the Baloch family members of missing persons ended in Islamabad after covering 2800 kilometers. The 20 member’s contingent of long march created history in the sub-continent by continuously walking 104 days from Quetta, the capital of the Balochistan province, to Islamabad, the capital of the country via the Sindh and […]

SOUTH KOREA: Individualising traditional values fails to break the chain of poverty

A mother and her two daughters were found dead in Seoul on February 26. According to the media, they committed suicide due to poverty. The mother had been working in a restaurant for a living since the father passed away 12 years ago. Due to chronic disease, two daughters worked part time and gave up […]

NEPAL: Two years after her kidnapping and disappearance, what can we do to find out what happened to our mother Chhori Maiya Maharjan?

An Open Letter from the daughters of Chhori Maiya who want to know whereabouts of their mother. They want justice to be served now! It has been two years since Chhori Maiya Maharjan disappeared. She was on her way to Baneshwor, Kathmandu, to meet Surakchya Singh alias Nikki. Nikki was supposed to return NPRs 5 […]

ASIA: AHRC TV- Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup Episode 19

Announcement | | 26-02-2014

The AHRC releases today the 19th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup In this week’s programme we bring you coverage of the following stories from across Asia. In news from Pakistan, threats continue for Baloch long marchers. The march completed its 100th day last Sunday and has now covered more than 2,700 kilometres. The protesters have reached the […]

INDONESIA: Police defy court order to pay compensation to shooting victim

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Indonesian Human Rights and Legal Aid Association (Perhimpunan Bantuan Hukum Indonesia, PBHI) in West Sumatra regarding the neglected judgments of the civil courts in the case of Iwan Mulyadi. Iwan, a 28-year-old residing in West Pasaman Barat of West Sumatera, is a victim of a […]

NEPAL: The deficient justice system permits public punishment of children

Statement | Nepal | 25-02-2014

The social media in Nepal was flooded with a photo share which showed three young boys tied to a bamboo pole on 22 February 2014. Three small boys aged 11 to 14 were caught stealing some mushroom packets and noodles in the settlement which lies near Aapgachhichok in Itahari-2, Sunsari district of Nepal. The boys […]

SRI LANKA: The appointment and dismissal of judges is the sole privilege of the executive president

The judgement of the Supreme Court which was given last week held that the judgement of the Court of Appeal allowing the writ of Certiorari on the parliament of Sri Lanka was wrong. The simple argument of the five judges is that the parliament of Sri Lanka, like the parliament of Great Britain enjoys supremacy […]

PHILIPPINES: Rizal Park is not for sale.

“RIZAL Park is not for sale. RIZAL Park is for the people.” This is the statement of Defend Job Philippines in the midst of a looming privatization plan for Luneta Park. On February 6, 2014, a Public consultation on the Master Planning of the Rizal Park Complex, Manila (Luneta Park) as a flagship Tourism Enterprise […]

CAMBODIA: A week that shook Cambodia

PRESS CONFERENCE “A WEEK THAT SHOOK CAMBODIA” Release of the Fact-finding Mission Report on the Violent Crackdown on Garment Workers in Cambodia (Dec 2013-Jan 2014) The garment industry has been the chief engine of the Cambodian economy for the past two decades since its establishment in 1994. However, garment workers still account for a large […]

INDIA: A mandamus writ will not ensure safety

Statement | India | 20-02-2014

The Supreme Court of India has directed the Union Government to take adequate measures to guarantee the safety of the people from the northeast, in the rest of the country against alleged racial discrimination. The court issued the directive while hearing a public interest litigation filed in court, following a series of incidents, where people […]

ASIA: AHRC TV- Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup Episode 18

The AHRC releases today the 18th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup. In this week’s AHRC TV – Weekly Round we bring you the following stories. In Sri Lanka, the ruling party has moved yet again to increase censorship of the independent media channels. In a new twist of events, reports revealed that a popular […]

PHILIPPINES: EPIRA Law, Power Rate Hike violate economic, social and cultural rights

Defend Job Philippines joins and supports the people’s protest today in many parts of Metro Manila to show condemnation on the P4.15/kWh power rate hike by the Manila Electric Company or MERALCO. Their group joins the contingent of workers in Plaza Salamanca, Taft Avenue corner Kalaw St. which will march to the Supreme Court of […]

PAKISTAN: The Long March in support of the families of victims of enforced disappearances is under threat and the government is preparing to halt the marchers by force

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received reports that Mama Qadeer, the organiser of the Long March from Balochistan to Islamabad, the purpose of which is to urge the Pakistani government to do something about the ongoing enforced disappearances of Balochi activists is receiving death threats. The marchers have now reached an area just […]

ASIA: Call for Nomination for the 4th Truth Foundation Human Rights Award

An Announcement forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to forward the following announcement from the Truth Foundation, South Korea calling for nominations for their Human Rights Award in 2014. The announcement and proposal form can be downloaded here. For inquiries please contact Mr. Kim Jung-Min whose contact details are […]

PHILIPPINES: SELDA forms People’s Claims Board, demands recall in BS Aquino’s appointment of PNP general to recognize ML victims

SELDA announces the formation of the People’s Claim Board, in protest of the Pres. Benigno Aquino III’s appointment of a PNP general in the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB) to implement the law. The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) has repeatedly urged the BS Aquino government to immediately form the […]

INDIA: Battle for Budget: Interim Union Budget Denied proportionate allocation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Battle for Budget: Interim Union Budget Denied Proportionate allocation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes National Confederation of Dalit Organization (NACDOR) is grieved to learn that Union Government failed to population proportionate allocation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the interim budget. The political parties are preparing for the General Election 2014 and […]

INDIA: Media deadlock continues in Arunachal Pradesh for the second day

Press Statement Journalists’ Forum Assam February 16, 2014 Guwahati, Assam, India JFA urges Nabam Tuki for ending Arunachal media deadlock Expressing grave concern over the cease of publications of all seven daily newspapers in Arunachal Pradesh for successive second day on Sunday, the Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has urged the authority to resolve the matter to uphold […]

THAILAND: Verdict in freedom of expression case rescheduled for the third time

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received update information about the case of Bantit (last name withheld), charged with violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code in Black Case No. 725/2548 (Red Case No. 1483/2549). Please refer to the urgent appeal case previously issued: AHRC-UAC-154-2013. On 17 February 2014, the Supreme Court verdict […]

INDONESIA: Bukittinggi Court’s ruling on torture compensation claim is exceptional

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Head of Bukittinggi District Court Mr. Hirdin Alamsyah Head of Bukittinggi District Court Jl. Veteran No. 219A Kota Bukittinggi, Sumatra Barat INDONESIA Tel: +62 7523 4361 Fax: +62 7523 4362 Email: pn_bukittinggi@yahoo.co.id Dear Mr. Alamsyah, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from […]

ASIA: AHRC TV- Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup Episode 17

The AHRC releases today the 17th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHaCNO_VGRY) In this week’s programme, we bring you stories from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal and in our segment, Voices of Survivors, we talk to a survivor from Indonesia. In a special feature from India we talk about India’s politics and the violence […]