Judicial system

  Aristedes Sarmiento. Photo: Worker’s Assistance Center (WAC) On July 16, 2013 Aristedes Sarmiento, was one of five men released after they were exonerated by the Courts from fabricated charges laid on them in August 20, 2008.  However, Samiento was again arrested for another murder, again on trumped-up charges. In April 2006, when Sarmiento and […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Home Minister of Nepal Mr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire Home Minister Government of Nepal Simha Darbar, Kathmandu NEPAL Fax: +977 1 42 11 232 Dear Sir, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to voice its deepest concern regarding the sharp deterioration in the health of […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Nepal Mr. Khil Raj Regmi Chairman -Council of Ministers Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers of Nepal Simha Darbar, Kathmandu NEPAL Fax: +977 1 4211086 Email: info@opmcm.gov.np Dear Sir NEPAL: An urgent call to save […]

A response to Dr. Mark Cooray’s defence of the impeachment of the Chief Justice (This article initially appeared in GALLE –Law Journal- 2013 Vol. 2) “We have every reason to be proud of the fact that our judicial system has been adopted in so many different parts of the world. At the heart of it is […]

ICAED’s Voice: Honor the Disappeared through incessant call for States’ Accession to the Anti-Disappearance Convention  It has been 32 years ago since our Latin American sisters and brothers from the Latin American Federation of Associations of Relatives of Disappeared-Detainees (FEDEFAM) initiated the commemoration of what is now officially recognized by the United Nations as the […]

Today, 30 August 2013, is the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearance. According to the UN Resolution A/RES/65/209 adopted in the Sixty-fifth Session of the General Assembly, the 30th day of August has been declared, and has been so observed since 2011, as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance every year. This Resolution […]

After the Anti-Torture Law was enforced, there have been two widely publicized torture videos where police officers were caught on camera torturing suspects in their custody. The first was in August 2010; the perpetrator was Joselito Binayug. The second was in June this year and the perpetrator was none other than Alfredo Lim, a former […]

Last week a shocking story was revealed in the media. On August 21 2013 P. Chandana Thushara Peiris, (32), the father of one child was arrested by the Moratuwa police and severely tortured to force him to confess to having possessed bombs and having committed several other crimes. When the family learned about the arrest […]

“Aquino’s penchant for giving special treatment to high profile and notorious rights violators and thieves is once again illustrated in the case of Janet Napoles and former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Avelino Razon. The double standard is obvious and sickening, as compared to the inhuman treatment of political prisoners and common offenders,” said […]

After 22 years of advocacy and lobbying, the Philippines enacted the Anti-Torture Law in November 2009. This law is not an ordinary law. The Philippines became the first country in Southeast Asia to enact a domestic law on torture. In effect, this law means the country commits itself legally to the international community to enforce […]

Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena*, Gehan Gunatilleke** & Prameetha Abeywickreme*** Originally published in the LST Review, Volume 23, Issue 306 & 307, April & May 2013 Introduction The Nature of Impunity Those who abuse power almost invariably enjoy the power to abuse. Impunity is both a corollary of power and a tool for power retention; a phenomenon that, by […]

This article was initially published in LST Review- Vol.306 and 307 in May 2013 1. Introductory Remarks “We have every reason to be proud of the fact that our judicial system has been adopted in so many different parts of the world. At the heart of it is fairness to everyone who holds views with which […]

On June 21, we reported that Alfredo Lim, the former Mayor of Manila, had tortured a rape suspect in full view of the public, while the senior police officers present did nothing to prevent him. We rightly demanded that Lim, who perpetrated the torture and the policemen, who did nothing to stop the torture, be […]

Press Statement Women in Governance-Assam (WinG-Assam) 27 August 2013 Character assassination of females in public service is a great barrier for women empowerment. Women are silenced by comments and opinions that affect their personal integrity and respect in the society.  Such comments must be condemned since it is nothing less than violence against women and discrimination […]

The Balochistan government has registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act against the chief executive and three other employees of a television channel, ARY Digital, for releasing a documentary about the attack on the former residency of the father of the nation. The three other employees are the Executive Director, Owais Tohid, the Quetta bureau […]

CONCEPT PAPER: This conference is jointly organised by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and DIGNITY. Scheduled Date: 11-13 November, 2013 States across the world deny that custodial torture and ill-treatment exist within their jurisdictions. Yet, in reality, not only does such practice exist, it is often promoted within states, as a policy, whether clandestine […]

Contact: Contact: John M. Miller, +1-917-690-4391 Ed McWilliams, +1-575-648-2078 The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) today condemned the U.S. government’s decision to approve the sale of deadly Apache attack helicopters to Indonesia. The sale demonstrates that U.S. concern for greater respect for human rights and justice in Indonesia are nothing […]

Sombath Somphone, a widely-respected leader in education and sustainable development in the Lao PDR, and recipient of the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, disappeared on the evening of December 15th, 2012 in the Lao capital Vientiane (see http://www.sombath.org). CCTV footage which became available 2 days later showed Sombath being stopped by traffic police, […]

by Basil Fernando Within just a few days of the announcement of the new ministry, the Ministry of Law and Order, a rather unusual level of interest has emerged, judging by the many articles that have appeared in response to the government’s move. Though such quick responses are unusual, they are not surprising. If anyone […]

An Announcement by the Asian Human Rights Commission We are writing to invite you for a session on the ‘Democracy Movement in Bahrain’ with Dr. Jasim Hussain, former MP, Bahrain. The session will be for 90 minutes at the AHRC’s office, starting at 10:00 a.m.; 28 August 2013. Dr. Hussain is a spokesperson for the […]