Right to fair trial

Javeria Younes The mob justice meted out to 13-year-old Samiul Alam Rajon, who was beaten to death in Bangladesh by an angry mob resolute on teaching the youngster a lesson for stealing a bicycle, is a classic case of mob madness witnessed on our streets every day. Throughout Asia, deteriorating rule of law and ineffective […]

An Announcement by the Asian Human Rights Commission This week’s Roundup begins in the Indian state of Kerala. The state government has initiated a process of police reforms. This unique initiative involves enabling the police to undertake scientific crime investigation. AHRC TV interviews AHRC Executive Director Bijo Francis to learn more about the outlook for […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arbitrary arrest and torture of 19 people allegedly involved in motorcycle robberies. The brutal behaviour of the Serpong police officers resulted in the custodial death of five suspects. According to the police however, their deaths were the result of self defense by […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal murder of Mr. Jopi Teguh Lasmana Peranginangin (39), an environmental activist who used to work with the Indigenous People’s Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN). He was kicked, beaten, and stabbed to death by Indonesian navy personnel on 23 May 2015 at […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a criminal charge being brought by the Indonesian police against Mr. Novel Baswedan, an investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). The police have been trying to arrest Novel since 2012, when KPK named then Chief of the National Police Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas), Inspector General Djoko Susilo, as a suspect […]

A Press Release from Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Lahore, May 21: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have expressed deep concern that following the 21stamendment, juveniles suspected of committing offences related to terrorism could end up being […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information from Nervazhi, a human rights organisation based in Thrissur District of the Indian state of Kerala concerning the case of Mary (name changed) who was gang-raped by her husband’s friends. Mary struggled to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators with the local police. The police […]

A Press Release from Human Rights Commission of Pakistan forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Lahore, May 13: The barbaric killing of members of the Ismaili community in a bus attack in Karachi is highly condemnable, but it deserves more than mere words of censure and sympathy from the authorities, the political parties […]

Today, persons hailing from the Ismaili community (a branch of Shia Islam) have been attacked while they were travelling on a passenger bus managed and operated by the community. According to media reports, six unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on the bus from all sides, leaving at least 46 dead and 24 injured. Many […]

On 8 May 2015 the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission issued a short statement (No. 5/2015) to the effect that two soldiers accused of involvement in the killing of freelance journalist Ko Par Gyi on 4 October 2014 have been acquitted of any crime by a summary court martial. The statement explained that the men, […]

Gabriel Garcia Marquez once spoke of Fidel Castro as a person “incapable of conceiving any idea that is not colossal”. During the last few months in Sri Lanka too there has been an interest in colossal ideas. One such colossal ambition is the idea of eliminating corruption.  It even became a major theme in an […]

by Basil Fernando A young man, then 18 years old, filed a communication on 28th January 2003, about an incident that took place on 18th April 2002. The UNHRC came to a finding on 14th July 2006. The UNHRC found that the Sri Lankan Government has violated the rights of the man by its failure to adjudicate […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding five indigenous Papuans charged with treason.  They were arrested and detained after attending a meeting at the invitation of the Minister of Defense, Retired General Ryamizard Ryacudu. It was sponsored by the military of the province [Kodam Cenderawasih], the Papuan Regional Intelligence Office […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent execution of a mentally ill man, who was tried and convicted on illegal drugs charges in Indonesia. Rodrigo Gularte has a long history of severe mental illness, dating back long before his arrest, and he continues to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the imminent execution of a Filipina migrant worker. She was unwittingly used as a drug mule by her employer and now faces execution by a firing squad. Mary Jane Veloso is a 30 year old mother of two, exploited by an international drug […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding criminal charges brought against Grandma Asyani [63]. She allegedly stole teak wood belonging to the state forestry company, PT. Perhutani. Asyani is being tried in Situbondo District Court, East Java Province, Indonesia, and indicted for violating Law No. 18 of 2013 on Forest […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the enforced disappearance of Mr. Dedek Khairuddin (30), a resident of Pangkalan Brandan Village, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Dedek was forcibly abducted from his home by seven soldiers, and has not been seen since. The government has not conducted serious efforts to locate […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is issuing this special Urgent Appeal following a spate of alarming, serial killings, particularly of women in the Kahawatte Police Division, during the past few years – which constitutes several elements of systematic extrajudicial killings. On 4th April 2015, the Kahawatte Police Station received a complaint of […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the forced eviction of Mrs. Christina Gurning (85) from her house in Jalan Kusumaatmadja No. 76 of Menteng Sub-District, DKI Jakarta Province, Indonesia. Christina is a widow of Mr. Timotius Markus Gurning, who is a national hero and retired Colonel of the Indonesian Army. […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about a minor girl and her mother being set on fire after their being gang-raped by three men. The girl, who suffered 90% burns, died the following day in hospital, while the mother has survived her 60% burns, regaining consciousness from coma after 26 […]