Right to fair trial

SRI LANKA: 14 year old rape victim reveals that a woman constable beat her at the police station

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information revealed by the young victim herself, which we wish to bring to your notice. On the 7th of July when she went to the Haputale Police station, a police woman constable, had beaten the young girl, and told her that when she is […]

PAKISTAN: The richest poor man is no more

The Asian Human Rights Commission condoles the sad demise of Abdul Sattar Edhi and pays tribute to the country’s most loved social worker for his dedication and selfless service to humanity. It is not every day that one comes across a man like Edhi. A legend in his own right, he was a philanthropist who […]

INDONESIA: Criminal suspect in custody tortured to death after a forced confession

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture death and fabricated case against Mr. Juprianto. These things were committed by the police officers of Luwu police station (Polres Luwu), in Luwu regency, South Sulawesi province. Police tortured Juprianto to death to get a confession that he had stolen a […]

NEPAL: State silence on Ganga Maya Adhikari screams murder

Statement | Nepal | 08-07-2016

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned about the negligence of the Government of Nepal. The State has shown utter indifference towards Ganga Maya Adhikari, surviving wife of late Nanda Prasad Adhikari and mother to late Krishna Prasad Adhikari. Maoists at Bakulahar Chowk of Ratnanagar, Chitwan allegedly murdered her son, Krishna Prasad, in June […]

INDONESIA: Investigation remains unclear after criminal suspect is tortured to death by police while in custody

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a torture death conducted by police officers in the North Central Timor regency (TTU), East Nusa Tenggara province. Mr. Marianus Oki was illegally arrested, detained and tortured to death in police custody. An investigation has been conducted with no significant progress. Marinus was […]

PAKISTAN: The international Community must take notice of disappearances and extra judicial killing—side event at UN demands

On June 20, the delegation of ALRC submitted a 160-page report on enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings in Pakistan, citing the cases and also the updated list of disappeared persons. The delegation of WGEID, led by Ms. Gabriela Guzman, secretary of WGEID and Human Rights Officer, Protection, Religion, Accountability & Human Security Session, expressed […]

SRI LANKA: Tamil Translation of the Article “The President Participates in Anti-Torture Demonstrations”

We are sharing with you a Tamil translaton of an Article published by the Asian Human Rights Commission, in Commemoraiton of the International Day in Support of Torture Victims, where the “… Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. […]

INDIA: Ruby Rai and the joke called Juvenile Justice

Article | India | 01-07-2016

The Bihar police have arrested Ruby Rai, a 17-year-old girl, under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120(B) of the India Penal Code on 26 June 2016 and have duly sent her to jail, i.e. an adult jail. Her alleged crime is that of cheating to secure top rank in the state senior secondary […]

SRI LANKA : The President Participates in Anti-Torture Demonstrations

Basil Fernando The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. It organized a demonstration with participants carrying placards that said, “Stop Torture”. The president of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, was among the demonstrators. There were also other […]

INDONESIA: Judges fail to meet standard of fair trial in activist murder case

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the result of the trial process with respect to the assault and torture to death of Mr. Salim Kancil, a land rights defender and environmental activist, who fought against illegal sand mining in Selok Awar-Awar Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java Province. The judges […]

NEPAL: Torture seen as ‘necessary evil’

Statement | Nepal | 24-06-2016

Nepal has been a party to the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) since 1991. Since then however, the government has failed to bring about any comprehensive anti-torture legislation in line with the Convention. Nepal’s Torture Compensation Act (TCA) of 1996 only provides compensation to victims if police officers are found guilty of practicing torture, with […]

INDONESIA: Security forces and a mining company-government supported, violently attacked and shot villagers

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has information provided by the Land Reform Commission (KPA), a national NGO documenting land conflicts, and other national NGOs against human rights violations in the mining area. Police and military security forces forcibly attacked and shot villagers protesting against the Cipta Buana Seraya coal mining Company (PT. […]

PAKISTAN: A deafening silence on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

To state that torture is endemic and rampant in Pakistan would be an understatement; torture has in fact become a lifestyle, a norm that is the beginning and end of judicial process in Pakistan. Thousands suffer torture everyday, yet they dare not report their ordeal. The law enforcement agencies that are responsible for this torture […]

INDONESIA: Lack of genuine policy and rights in Papua

After monitoring 20 months of the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua provinces under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is dismayed at the utter lack of progress in the protection and realization of people’s rights. Since President Widodo’s inauguration on 20 October 2014, there were considerable expectations for […]

PAKISTAN: Apellate Court upholds 40 years’ sentence for human rights defenders to bar Baba Jan from elections

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), a newly occupied territory of Pakistan federation, has hurriedly upheld the sentences of 12 human rights defenders for 40 years, with a fine of Rupees 500,000 each, to debar their leader, Mr. Baba Jan, […]

SRI LANKA: Letter to AG on the acceptance of apologies for human rights violations

15th June 2016 Mr. Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC.,  The Attorney General The Attorney General’s Department  Hulftsdorp, Colombo 12,  Sri Lanka Dear Mr Attorney General, Regarding a State Counsel’s application to the Supreme Court to end a fundamental rights application relating to torture and fabrication of charges on a mere police apology We have learnt through media […]

INDONESIA: Judges failed to apply a high standard for a fair trial in the murder case against a human rights defender

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information, provided by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, a branch office of Jambi province (WALHI Jambi). It is regarding the brutal attack and murder of Mr. Indra Pelani, a land rights activist. Judges did not take into consideration the alleged involvement of the […]

SRI LANKA: What Poddala Jayantha means to us

By Basil Fernando I do not know Poddala Jayantha personally. However, I have felt for several years and still strongly feel that I as a human being, and we as Sri Lankans, owe a serious obligation to him. I remember the first day I heard about the cruel way he was dealt with some 7 […]

WORLD: Judicial institutions which act as checks on executive power are being dismantled

Opening Statement by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, made at the Human Rights Council 32nd Session on 13th June 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Distinguished President of the Council, Excellencies Colleagues and friends When the Inter-American Commission announces it has to cut its personnel by forty […]

SRI LANKA: Government’s delay in dealing with laws delays

See the YouTube Video relating to this article. Journalist, Poddala Jayantha in a moving article, written in Sinhala, recalls his ordeal which took place exactly 7 years ago in the evening of June 1st that shocked the entire nation. A threat which has been made to him by the brother of the then President Mahinda […]