Rule of law

An article from The Wire forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Due to its negligent drafting, the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act is unlikely to benefit the workers in the unorganised sector. There is a need to amend the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act to make employers duty-bound to provide very clear, unambiguous forms […]

This week Just Asia focuses on World Press Freedom Day, annually celebrated on May 3. The day is marked by celebrating the fundamental principles of press freedom, assessing the state of these freedoms globally, and paying tribute to those journalists who have lost their lives supporting a free press. In its 2017 World Press Freedom […]

The government of India recently informed the Supreme Court that it has formed a Committee for looking into ways to stop the smuggling of cattle–cows in particular. It is headed by the Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry. The government had taken this step in response to a 2015 Public Interest Litigation seeking the Supreme […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC). It concerns the third cycle of the UPR. The ALRC’s submission focuses on the criminal justice system, the normative legal framework, impunity for past human rights abuses, the freedom of expression, peaceful assembly […]

Bangkok/Kathmandu/Hong Kong/Dhaka: The World Press Freedom Day, on 3 May, is celebrated as an occasion to revisit the essence of fundamental principles of the freedom of press. The state of press freedom is analysed throughout the world. The day is marked by highlighting sacrifices of journalists – in various forms – for their professional dedication, defending […]

Given the lack of any basic medical care, health teaching, affordable housing, universal education, clean drinking water and a decent way of life including the right to life–the demand for labour rights sound hollow and meaningless. Feigning regard for this class, society is deeply prejudiced against celebrating Labour Day in Pakistan. Hardly any respect is […]

This week Just Asia begins with a call from Filipino lawyer Jude Josue Sabio, asking the International Criminal Court to charge President Duterte with mass murder and crimes against humanity. A 77-page complaint to the Court on Monday states Mr. Duterte was the “mastermind” of a campaign that has killed more than 9,400 people since […]

Coming on the heels of the recent lynching, killing and attacks in Pakistan on the pretext of blasphemy, the legislative assembly of Pakistan controlled Azad Kashmir has unanimously passed two resolutions regarding the finality of the Prophet Hood (SAW) and honour and respect of the Prophet’s companions and family (Sahaba Karam and Ahle-Bait (RA)). The […]

By Urmila Pullat On April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court of India(SC) passed an important judgment with respect to the fraught Babri Masjid demolition case. The matter in question pertained to FIR 198 of 1992 which was one of many FIRs filed on Dec 6, 1992 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. FIR 198/92 […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to inform you about an essay with title “Considering Victims to Strengthen Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”This essay reflect from the book “Just and Unjust Peace and Ethic of Political Reconciliation.” The writer also used other books to extend his view on politic of reconciliation. This essay is also reflect to the experience of politic of reconciliation in Indonesia, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the new wave of enforced disappearances in Pakistan’s Sindh province, which has been under the Rangers’ operation for the last two years. The law enforcement agencies have cracked down against Sindhi nationalist groups, and in April itself, one government officer, a school […]

An article, titled “Prime Minister Hun Sen Was A Successful Wartime Leader But Certainly Not One In Peacetime Cambodia” by Mr Ou Ritthy, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission By Ou Ritthy Cambodia’s historic “July 22, 2014” ended disputing political parties’ electoral political deadlock and violence. It unleashed a “culture of dialogue” between Hun Sen’s ruling […]

A Sinhala Translation of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s book Annihilation of Caste is now available in Sinhala translation entitled “ Kulaya Mulin Uputa Demeema” The book has been translated into an easy, readable language by Osadhi Nayantara Gunasekera and published by the Asian Human Rights Commission. The book is now available in bookshops in Sri Lanka. Annihilation of Caste […]

The horrific mob lynching of Mashal Khan has raised many questions about the utility of an archaic and draconian law that has been misused with impunity. Pakistan’s blasphemy law is a mockery of rule of law, and in fact defies common sense. What is the utility of a law that allows people to challenge the […]

An Article Basil Fernando For many decades Sri Lankans have ignored the collapse of their legal system, the crisis of the judicial system and the virtual disappearance of all legal traditions. For this reason, the bond between law and social structure is now weak. This means that the law is unable to keep the political, […]

An Article on “Right to Information and Batticaloa women : Hypothesis vs Reality” by Radika Gunaratna , published in the Daily Mirror issue of 20 April 2017, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission By Radika Gunaratna, Attorney-at-Law, Human Rights and RTI Activist Yet, it is still questionable whether citizens from all corners felt the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is pleased to share that the Kavrepalanchowk District Court has finally sentenced three army officers to 20 years’ imprisonment for the murder of 15-year-old Maina Sunuwar at the height of the Maoist insurgency in February 2004. On April 17, a single bench of Judge Medini Prasad Paudyal convicted the former army officers Colonel […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the brutal murder of a 23-year old student by lynching on the accusation of Blasphemy by a mob at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KPK province. The AHRC also condemns the violence in the name of blasphemy as it is deeply disturbing and sets an extremely dangerous […]

The security establishment has found a new way to control terrorism. They stop people in the northern parts of the country, bordering Afghanistan, from growing maize and abandoning trees. In their view, the best way to control terrorism is to impoverish the affected population by plundering their sources of livelihood. This theory was applied in […]

A new wave of persecution and killings of the Ahmadi sect has started after an Islamabad high court judge took a position on religious matters of individuals, particularly about free discussions on social media. Judge Shaukat Siddiqui is generally known as a bigot and hate monger. Leading the movement for the release of Constable Mumtaz […]