Judicial system

The threats posed to the life of Ms. Nimalka Fenando, a well-known trade unionist, political activist and a human rights defender, by the commercial channel of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on November 4, 2013 is yet another example of the stark and blatant abuse of the State Media to intimidate, harass and humiliate a […]

(Hong Kong, November 20, 2013) Myrna Reblando, widow of Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the journalists killed in the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre, writes a poem to pay tribute to her husband and other victims. Myrna writes the poem to recall the pain and hurt that the massacre has caused to victims’ families, as […]

Mugiyanto, Chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) calls on the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID) for more serious efforts in addressing the case of Sombath Somphone based on new information it submitted indicating state involvement in his disappearance. AFAD got information from reliable sources that Lao state agents are […]

The announcement by the de facto chief justice, Mohan Pieris, to introduce regulations in order to limit the maximum age to practice as a lawyer to 70 and to impose further regulations for the renewal of the licenses of lawyers every two years, comes as no surprise. The government’s aim is to bring the military […]

On August 22 the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an urgent appeal, PAKISTAN: A student leader was extrajudicial killed in a fake encounter conducted the intelligence agencies. We have now come into possession of a video produced by the police which was leaked to the AHRC which attempts to prove that Mr. Afzal Panhwar was killed […]

Many participants have suffered bruised and blistered feet but have not been provided with any medical treatment…..their bleeding wounds have been wrapped with nothing more than pieces of cloth The 730-kilometers Long March of the family members of the disappeared persons from Balochistan has covered more than 600 kilometers and entered its 20th day. The Long […]

The following is a statement by participants of the 2nd Conference of Asian Parliamentarians and Human Rights Defenders, 11-13 November, Hong Kong, organised by the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong, and Denmark have attended a meeting to […]

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) assailed the judge for the military’s acquittal over the slaying of the couple Bacar and Carmen Japalali during a military operation headed by Sgt. Serafin Jerry Napoles last September 8, 2004 in Barangay Bincungan, Tagum City. Hall of Justice, Tagum, Davao del Norte.Photo: AHRC In a nine (9) page […]

Anybody can make a claim to the fish in the open sea. But, once caught, it becomes the property of one who caught it. However, the Law of the Sea 1982, provides the proprietary country the exclusive right to its natural resources, including fishery resource within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles […]

Violations of Commonwealth Values while the CHOGM 2013 in Progress HR festival obstructed; Hate campaign launched Foreign journalists blocked visiting Jaffna Jaffna protest organisers threatened; people blocked Flights to Jaffna cancelled; Visit to East cancelled Canada denied pro govt media reports Sharma given 3 proposals to implement Leader of the opposition attacked on his way […]

The extension of ‘disturbed area’ status for north eastern states since 1955, and thereby the activation and extension of emergency laws, has been but a routine administrative exercise for the union government. The legacy was upheld this year. The union has again extended the ‘disturbed area’ status of Assam for another six month period, with […]

On November 1, 2010, Andaman Mokiding Binago was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a lodging house in Davao City. The NBI claimed that he and the actual accused, Danny Mokiding y Mohamad are one and the same person and charged him with murder charges for allegedly bombing a lottery stall in January 10, 2007 killing […]

Nine years after the brutal murder of Faraz Ahmed Naveed on November 8, 2004 his family still awaits justice. No progress has been made in the investigation. The first report was made by the police officer who attended the scene of the incident and stated that Faraz’ body had a bullet wound in his back […]

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), “Child labor refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful”. Child labor has been a persistent problem throughout the South Asia, for […]

(We reproduce below two poems written by Basil Fernando) No tears for departed Attorney Generals Why I have no tears for departed Attorney Generals: Do we feel sorry for ones extinguishing the light Leaving everything in the dark? Is there any crime worse than Killing the soul of a nation? Is not justice the soul […]

In July 2013, public prosecutors in General Santos City wrote to the Supreme Court asking for the transfer of the venue of a murder trial. The trial concerns two persons described as “suspected terrorists and members of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front” (MILF), “to any venue in Metro-Manila, where the atmosphere […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the detention of ASM Nasiruddin Elan and demands his immediate release. Mr. ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Director of Bangladeshi human rights organization, Odhikar, has been detained in prison by the Cyber Crimes Tribunal of Dhaka, today, November 6, 2013. This detention is part of the continued repression against the whistle-blowers […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned from the wife of D.A. Ruwan Kumara (27) that he has been taken into police custody by officers of the Bandaragama Police Station and is being tortured. The wife, Chinthini Nadeesa and Ruwan Kumara’s brother have visited him at the police station and have seen him being tortured […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to announce the launch of its weekly video news bulletin, the Asian Human Rights Commission – Weekly Roundup. The fourth episode, released today, 4 November 2013, covers an exclusive report on Disappearances in Asia. The report covers extensively on patterns of disappearances in Asia and how, even in states […]

Mr. Bashir Ahmad Kiyani (70), was murdered as a result of religious hatred in Karachi. He was shot dead while on his way to Friday Prayer Services at the nearby Mosque in Korangi, Karachi. In the last three months both Mr. Kiyani’s son and son-in-law were also killed by Muslim fundamentalists. According to the details […]