Rule of law

PAKISTAN: During the last eight months 4,286 persons were killed in target killings, security operations, militant attacks and terrorism

During the last eight months of this year, from January to August 31, in different target killings, militant attacks, incidents of terrorism (including suicide bombs by the Pakistani Taliban and different sectarian groups) and security operations by the armed forces and intelligence agencies 4,286 persons were killed and 4,066 injured. The statistics for this period […]

PAKISTAN: Trafficking organs of dead Christians — the government must conduct a high powered probe

A Vatican news agency, Agenzia Fides, reported a horrific crime taking place in Pakistan where, not only hundreds of Christians were killed in a church bombing in Peshawar city, KPK, but now it is reported that the dead were stripped off their organs by paramedics which were then sold the illegal organ trade black market. […]

PAKISTAN: AHRC lauds the efforts of the Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia to save the lives of persons awaiting beheading

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) appreciates the efforts of the Pakistani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and his two-member fact finding team to probe the cases of the Pakistanis who are on death row and awaiting beheading on the charges of drug smuggling. The government of Saudi Arabia must also be praised for its readiness […]

WORLD: Neuroweapons; Inside Story of the US mind control project

Statement | World | 27-09-2013

Last week the US National Institutes of Health ( NIH) issued an report titled, “Interim Report: Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) working group.” The report has extensively examined President Barack Obama’s brain project, which mentions the need to develop electromagnetic modulation as a new technology for brain circuit manipulation. In the meantime, the […]

PAKISTAN: A female human rights defender is brutally murdered and the police attempt to pass it off as an honour killing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young female activist, Ms. Sahib Khatoon was allegedly brutally murdered by her husband while returning home from her job in a NGO. She was forced to marry her cousin and neither of them were happy with the arrangement. The marriage ended in […]

WORLD: Neuroweapons — more terrifying than the atomic bomb

Article | World | 25-09-2013

The following review was written by Ms. Cheryl Welsh to summarise the paper published by Torture: Asian and Global Perspectives in its latest issue. Cheryl Welsh Since the 1950s, allegations of government mind control weapons (now called neuroweapons) and nonconsensual human experimentation and targeting have been dismissed as science fiction. However, with a closer look […]

BURMA: Continued prosecutions of human rights defenders

The Asian Human Rights Commission has in a number of recent appeals and statements (AHRC-UAC-105-2013, AHRC-UAC-101-2013, AHRC-STM-108-2013) pointed to the persistent pursuit and prosecution by the police and local authorities in Burma, or Myanmar, of human rights defenders under draconian legislation old and new. Despite the country’s continued progress away from its overtly dictatorial past, it is […]

WORLD: Trading liberty for security

Article | World | 23-09-2013

“Badness Cannot Drive Out Badness” The following article will appear as the editorial of the forthcoming issue of ‘Torture: Asian and Global Perspectives’, a bi-monthly magazine published by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), based in Hong Kong and the Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY) based in Denmark. Nilantha Ilangamuwa “Injustice anywhere is a threat […]

PAKISTAN: The state apparatus has gone to the dogs

The AHRC urges the government of Pakistan to carry out a high powered inquiry into the killings of Christians by a commission of experts rather than the police The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the two deadly suicide attacks on the All Saints Church in Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkha province […]

PAKISTAN: Strict yet victim-friendly legal mechanisms are required to minimize sexual violence against women and children

The brutal rape of a five-year-old girl in Lahore last week has literally shocked the country, from the officials in the highest office down to the ordinary citizen in the street. The tragic incident has sparked a nationwide debate and outcry against the lack of a safety mechanism in the country for women and children. […]

PAKISTAN: Gang rape of a poor minority woman by five accused

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding the gang rape of minority woman in district Tharparker, Sindh. The lady was raped by five people in front of her husband and three children. The police has registered the case against the accused that are supported by the Mr. Mahesh Kumar Malani Member […]

PHILIPPINES: An appeal by the Free Cocoy Tulawie Movement

In the name of peace, for the sake of humanity and in behalf of the innocent civilians who are again bearing the brunt of violence and atrocities, I am appealing to Chairman Nur Misuari and all my brothers in the Moro National Liberation Front to release the hostages and withdraw immediately and unconditionally from the […]

SRI LANKA: ‘Judgeitis’ — disease of the judges

The Guardian reported on September 11 that Lord Carlisle has argued for an inspectorate of judges which could deal with problems before they lead to complaints. Meanwhile new regulations dealing with complaints against judges come into force at the beginning of next month.  The new regulations come on the basis of the Constitutional Reform Act […]

PAKISTAN: Innocent Ahmadis continue to be harassed persecuted and murdered while the government looks on

Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan continue to be persecuted, prosecuted, humiliated, harassed, tortured and subjected to target killings. In the very recent past hundreds of Ahmadis have been murdered for their faith and belief and this horrifying brutality continues under the very eyes of the Government who take no notice or action and blatantly allow the […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Rapist of child convicted, but inadequate sentence imposed

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to inform you that a man accused of repeatedly raping a teenage girl in Burma has, despite his efforts to destroy the case, been convicted. However, the court has imposed an inadequate sentence upon him, and activists in the country are calling for a stiffer […]

SRI LANKA: An Appeal to support Ravaya publication

We are forwarding this appeal made on behalf of Ravaya Publication To All Friends, Standing up for media freedom and independence in Sri Lanka Dear colleagues and friends, As you know by now, we as a group have been for the past two months campaigning to raise 20 million SL rupees (US $ 154,000 apprx.) […]

SRI LANKA: A short report on the features of the increasing authoritarianism

Download the full text of the report ( PDF) (Word) In her media statement from Colombo on 31 August 2013, Dr. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, “I am deeply concerned that Sri Lanka, despite the opportunity provided by the end of the war to construct a new vibrant, all-embracing state, […]

SRI LANKA: The debate on multiculturalism, uniculturalism and monoculturalism

We need to define the concepts of multiculturalism, uniculturalism and monoculturalism before entering into a debate on their application, practice and future direction in Sri Lanka. Multiculturalism refers to that trend in the society where the different cultures are made inclusive, tolerated and accommodated, and these trends are institutionalised in legislation to respect other cultures. […]

BANGLADESH: Oppression of free speech must end

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned about the continued and arbitrary detention of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan Secretary of Odhikar. The AHRC has learned that the government has introduced new allegations against Mr. Nasiruddin Elan, the Director of Odhikar, in an attempt to detain Elan as well, so as to absolutely cripple the functioning of the […]

PHILIPPINES: Daughter of rearrested and falsely charged torture victim writes about her ailing father

(Hong Kong, September 6, 2013) Sylvia Patricia Sarmiento, daughter of torture victim Aristedes Sarmiento, writes about her father, and how she and her family, have struggled because of her father’s torture and repeated arrest and detention on false charges. She wrote this in an article which she shared with the Asian Human Rights Commission. Sylvia, […]