Rule of law

Basil Fernando The Constitution Places the Executive President above the Courts This picture shows the executive president sitting above the Supreme Court Complex. The Supreme Court is the highest court but the post of the executive president is above it. Article 35 of the Constitution specifically places him outside the jurisdiction of the courts. The […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was shot by police officers while in the custody of Mihintale Police. He was arrested on 9 June 2009 and brought to a location in the forest at Netiyagama in Mihintale by the police officers where he was shot. He was […]

(Part One)   The first election in post Pol Pot Cambodia was held in May 1993. The new constitution promised a liberal democracy and a system of governance based on the rule of law. However, the country is still in a state of abysmal lawlessness and ordinary Cambodians are powerless. There are no institutions in […]

Basil Fernando   The Degeneration of police into “licensed thugs”   This is a photo of Mr Ganegoda Sinhage Haritha Lakmal (30) of No. 590/2A, Middle Gate Upper Road, Addunkelle Watte, Ahangama, who became an unfortunate victim of an assault by Sub Inspector (SI) Nelumdeniya and several other officers of the Ahangama Police Station, for […]

(Part One)   The first election in post Pol Pot Cambodia was held in May 1993. The new constitution promised a liberal democracy and a system of governance based on the rule of law. However, the country is still in a state of abysmal lawlessness and ordinary Cambodians are powerless. There are no institutions in […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that police officers attached to the Ahangama Police Station have illegally arrested, detained and tortured a civilian. Later the police refused to provide necessary urgent medical treatment. After the victim sought justice by filling a fundamental rights application at the Human Rights Commission he […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 15 year old school going girl was abducted by the driver of a three wheel but later rescued by passers-by. The culprit managed to escape but the rescuers took the three wheeler to the Rattota Police Station where they were also able […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was illegally arrested by the police officers attached to the Ma Oya Police Post in the district of Polonnaruwa when he went to make a complaint. He was severely tortured and denied medical treatment. He only received medical treatment at the […]

Basil Fernando What Sarath Fonseka and Sam Rainsy have in common is that they are the most popular opposition leaders in their countries and that they have been jailed for that very reason. Political popularity is treated as a serious crime in both countries, where the ruling parties are aspiring to create one party rule. […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man has died in the custody of the Kottawa Police. He was arrested in the evening 23 May 2010 and brought to the Kottawa Police Station where he was detained inside the police cell. The victim was found dead on the following […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a seven-year-old child was gunned down by officers attached to the Maharagama Police at Beruwala town, which is well outside their jurisdiction, on 15 September 2010. The injured child was admitted to the Beruwala Government Hospital and transferred to the General Hospital of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was shot dead by police officers while in the custody of an officer attached to the Special Task Force (STF) of the Sri Lankan Police. He was arrested on 31 August 2010 and brought to Colombo. While travelling by police jeep […]

The contempt of court proceedings initiated against Advocate Prashant Bushan in the Supreme Court of India for the allegations he made against some of the former Chief Justices of the country will test the maturity of India’s judicial system and that of its democratic framework. Indeed the Court has a statutory right to initiate proceedings […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was found with fatal injuries to the stomach caused by sharp weapon while in the custody of the Moratuwa Police Station. He was arrested on 22 September 2010 and detained in the police station. He was found with fatal injuries in […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of Prachatai online newspaper, was detained by the immigration police at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Samutprakarn province near Bangkok, and transferred to Khon Kaen police station, in northeastern Thailand. She has been charged with violating the Computer Crimes Act BE.2550 (2007) […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received details of a complaint that two brothers have lodged against police in Pegu, Burma over a serious assault. According to them, a group of local police in plain clothes beat them up after the police thought that one was using his mobile phone to take […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was shot dead by police officers while he was in the custody of an officer attached to the Supugaskanda Police Station. He was arrested on the morning of 4 September 2010, brought to distant location and shot dead a few hour […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a serious case of police violence which occurred on 15 August 2010 at Sekhuwana chock in Nawalparasi District. In this incident, a 40-year-old farmer, Rudal Yadav, was arrested by 10 policemen, handed over to the Indian police, without following any legal extradition procedure […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man was illegally arrested, arbitrarily detained and severely tortured by officers of the Urubokka Police Station. He was later released without any charge but there are no official records of his arrest and detention. He was later admitted to the Teaching Hospital […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man who was severely tortured by officers of the Kiribathgoda Police Station later succumbed to his injuries. Following his arrest the officers of the police station turned over his body to the Teaching Hospital of Ragama. Later at the inquest two police […]