Right to fair trial

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a 15 year old, boy Z, was sexually abused at the Rantambe Military Camp between 16th-23rd February 2017. This is the 3rd individual case out of ten boys who were abused. A group of 23 male students from the Pilawela Maha Vidiyalaya, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture and ill-treatment of Seko indigenous people in North Luwuk, South Sulawesi province. The North Luwuk police favored the Seko Power Prima Company (PT. Seko Power Prima). They arrested, detained and forced the local people to accept the company’s plan to develop […]

Dr. Kang Yong-ju is a medical doctor from Gwangju, South Korea. Dr. Kang is a victim of the notorious National Security Law and the Security Surveillance Act of South Korea. When Kang was a student in the high school, he participated in the Gwangju democratic movement in 1980, popularly known as the “Gwangju Uprising.” Later, […]

The common perception in Pakistan, that ordinary citizens are not free to express their thoughts, has been validated with state inaction against hate mongers and clamping down on social media activists. What began as a crackdown on blasphemy and hurting religious sentiments has quickly spiralled into curbs on free speech, unveiling the true intentions of the state: […]

This week Just Asia begins with Belgium’s deportation order of activist Sajjad Husain. As a frontline defender for human rights and a free Kashmir, Husain’s work was not appreciated in Pakistan and he sought political asylum in Belgium in 2006. Finally refused asylum, Husain was facing imminent deportation to Pakistan. Due to the AHRC’s Urgent […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the suicide bombing and explosion in Kampung Melayu, Jakarta, Indonesia, which killed five persons and injured 10. Three police officers and two alleged perpetrators died in the blast. In the last one year, the suicide bombing in Kampung Melayu is the second such incident. Earlier, there was a […]

Dear Friends, According to the information I have received, the 15 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Perera and Malani Srasinghe, residents of No: 17/1, Arangala, Nattaranpotha in Kandy District had complained to them of being sexually abused together with 10 other boys at the Rantambe Military Camp, between 16th-23rd February 2017. This […]

On May 5, 2017, the Supreme Court of India(SC) passed the much-awaited judgment in the case of Mukesh & Anr. Vs the State for NCT of Delhi & Ors. or more colloquially known as the ‘Nirbhaya’ case. The gangrape and murder of the 23year old physiotherapy student in New Delhi on the night of Dec 16, 2012 shook […]

This week, Just Asia begins with Indonesia, where, after massive pressure from hardliner and anti-tolerance groups, judges of the North Jakarta District Court sentenced Jakarta Governor, Mr. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok, to 2 years imprisonment on 9 May 2017. Just Asia speaks to Chris Biantoro for more details. Next, in a grim reminder of the Nirbhaya incident […]

First of all, I would like to thank you all for your continuous support for the longest 13 years journey, where I undertook the painful battle to get justice for the murder of my daughter. Yet, I need your support once again. Since it has been more than a decade now, let me refresh your […]

This week Just Asia begins with the arbitrariness of the ‘rarest of the rare’ doctrine in India regarding the death penalty. The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty awarded to four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case on May 5. Another judgment in the same week was passed in the 2002 Bilkis […]

Two recent reports prove the predictions that the Asian Human Rights Commission has been making for several years, that Bangladesh is likely to become a major refugee producing country in the Asian region. The UK basedIndependent published a report on 5 May 2017, with the title “Bangladesh is now the single biggest country of origin for refugees on boats as new route to Europe […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned about the implementation of The Blasphemy Law Number 1/PNPS/1965 on the Prevention of “Religious Abuse and/or Defamation. In many cases, the police investigators and prosecutors still apply article 156 and 156a of the Indonesian Penal Code to indict accused persons. Recently, the North Jakarta district court sentenced […]

A criminal nexus between the police, tycoon and media was exposed one week after the collapse of an artificial stadium killing three persons and injuring some 150 persons. When the 22-feet stadium collapsed on 28 April 2017 during the shoot of a game show aired from ARY Channel, a private television channel, the organizers, Bahria Town Islamabad and ARY […]

Mob violence continues to grab national headlines; most recently, a mob of some 500 persons gathered outside a police station in Balochistan, demanding that Hindu trader Prakash Kumar, arrested on blasphemy charges, be released so they could publicly lynch him. When police refused, the mob opened fire and started beating police officers, resulting in the […]

In the last 60 days, five Ahmadis, including a woman professor were shot dead. One person was shot and injured in a calculated manner in order to eliminate Ahmadis from the country. For many decades the Ahmadi places of worship (mosques), houses, cemeteries, clinics and educational institutions were attacked and many professionals murdered. On May […]

An article from The Wire forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Due to its negligent drafting, the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act is unlikely to benefit the workers in the unorganised sector. There is a need to amend the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act to make employers duty-bound to provide very clear, unambiguous forms […]

The government of India recently informed the Supreme Court that it has formed a Committee for looking into ways to stop the smuggling of cattle–cows in particular. It is headed by the Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry. The government had taken this step in response to a 2015 Public Interest Litigation seeking the Supreme […]

Bangkok/Kathmandu/Hong Kong/Dhaka: The World Press Freedom Day, on 3 May, is celebrated as an occasion to revisit the essence of fundamental principles of the freedom of press. The state of press freedom is analysed throughout the world. The day is marked by highlighting sacrifices of journalists – in various forms – for their professional dedication, defending […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the acid attack against senior investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Mr. Novel Baswedan. The attack caused Novel to suffer serious injuries in his eyes. He was hospitalized for a few days in Jakarta, and then transferred to Singapore for better medical […]