Rule of law

A Press Release from People’s Watch forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) People’s Watch calls for the order of immediate closure of Sterlite Copper Smelter Plant No. 1 and for the stoppage of construction at the Copper Smelter Plant No.2, by the Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy. People’s Watch would like to highlight that […]

Mr. Basil Fernando’s keynote address delivered on 16 May 2018 at the Gwangju Human Rights Forum The 2018 Gwangju Human Rights Forum was jointly organized by the May 18 Foundation and AHRC It is a great honor to be speaking to you all today when we have gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the […]

The 2018 Gwangju Human Rights Forum was jointly organized by the May 18 Foundation and AHRC RIGHT TO JUSTICE Systemic Ways to Ensure Human Rights Are Protected A. Human Rights and the Violation of those Rights Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with A, B, […]

A Statement from Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission We, at Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE)*, condemn in the strongest terms the Supreme Court’s decision granting the Solicitor General’s petition for Quo Warranto against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. It is abhorring to see the Supreme Court majority surrender […]

This week Just Asia begins with terror attacks in Indonesia. The country’s second largest city of Surabaya saw yet another suicide bombing on Monday morning, at the police station. On Sunday, three churches were attacked, killing at least 11 persons, and injuring 41 persons during Sunday mass. This was one of the worst attacks on […]

A Statement from Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Karapatan expressed disappointment on the ruling of the Regional Trial Court Branch 36 of Calamba, Laguna yesterday, May 16, 2018, on the criminal cases filed by security guard Rolly Panesa against four police officers and other John […]

A Statement from ASEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (APHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Bahasa Version YOGYAKARTA (Indonesia), 8 May 2018 — At the conclusion of a four-day fact-finding mission, members of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) today called on stakeholders in Indonesia to tackle growing intolerance and ensure that freedom of religion or […]

This week Just Asia focuses on World Press Freedom Day, marked annually on May 3. The day celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, and pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. Most recently, nine journalists were killed in Afghanistan, after rushing to report on a suicide […]

An article from The Mint forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Kathua and Unnao. The eight-year-old, gang raped and murdered in Kathua, was reported missing in early January—more than three months ago. According to the chargesheet, the victim’s body was discovered on 17 January, five whole days after her father reported her missing. In Unnao, a Bharatiya Janata Party […]

When Thomas Hobbes wrote his book, the Leviathan, he likened the state to a mighty fish, using a biblical symbol. His basic argument was that if human beings are to organize their society for their own benefit, so as to overcome each ones’ greed to grab things for themselves alone, there was the need of […]

A Statement from H.E. Associate prof. Dinna Wisnu and H.E. Mr. Edmund Bon Tai Soon, representatives to the ASEAN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (AICHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Human rights experts* from the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) call on urgent action by ASEAN to develop a ‘whole-of-ASEAN approach’ […]

by Basil Fernando One of the things that the Sri Lankan State as well as the Civil Society itself has given up on- is the control of crime. Crime has spread into everything and continues to spread further and further. However, we see that the more crime spreads, the less amenable it is for us […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where an 8-year-old girl from Kashmir was gang-raped and murdered. Her family reported her missing in January this year, and only a week later was her body found. According to the charge sheet filed in April, the girl from the Bakarwal Muslim community was gang-raped and murdered by […]

An article from The Sunday Times, written by Kishali Pinto-Jayawardenaforwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Some weeks ago, a ruling party politician in the Gampaha District was captured on national television becoming incandescent with rage on being asked to produce his identity card by a police officer. Working himself up to a veritable frenzy, that worthy representative of […]

An article from the Jakarta Post forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission By Jony Eko Yulianto The daughter of Indonesia’s first president, Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, issued her tearful apology to Indonesian Muslims over her poem which allegedly insulted Islam. She said “Ibu Indonesia” (Mother Indonesia), which suggested traditional songs and women’s appearances were more beautiful than “your […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from the Commission for the Disappearances and Victims of Violence, KontraS (a national human rights organization). It concerns the results of a Police Ethic Mechanism lodged against three Police Officers of the Sula Police Station (Polres Sula), North Mollucas Province. After carrying out […]

By Urmila Pullat On Mar 20, 2018, in Dr. Subhash Kashinath Mahajan vs. The State of Maharashtra And Anr., the Supreme Court of India held that there is no absolute bar on granting anticipatory bail for complaints under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (hereinafter the SC/ST Act). Further, […]

By Arif Maulana Introduction In the last two years, under the government of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Jusuf Kalla, the execution of death row inmates in Indonesia has occurred frequently. The government has said the executions are conducted due to the state of emergency cause by the narcotics problem. In 2015-2016, 19 prisoners were […]

This week Just Asia begins with India, where a nationwide strike has resulted in nine deaths so far. The strike was called on Monday, to protest the changes to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes prevention of Atrocities Act by the Supreme Court. The changes will make it difficult to file cases against public servants for caste atrocities. Next, […]

A Statement from by Dr. Umakant of JNU forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission April 02, 2018, JNU, New Delhi We must remove inequality, Ambedkar said, or our political structure will be in peril http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/sc-st-act-we-must-remove-inequality-ambedkar-said-or-our-political-structure-will-be-in-peril-5122076/ This protest was unprecedented because it was largely led by ordinary Dalits and Adivasis, while political parties and their leaders played […]