Rule of law

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Santhiyogu Anton Dani, a resident of Mannar, was illegally arrested by military officers on 29th June 2016 at St. Peters Church in Mannar. He was continually tortured before being released without any charges and not being produced before a court of law. […]

A Press Release from International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On the 20 June 2016, Chaudhry Khaliq Ahmad, son of Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad, was shot and killed in a religiously motivated attack in Karachi, carried out by unknown assailants. According to the information we have so far, the […]

We are sharing with you a Tamil translaton of an Article published by the Asian Human Rights Commission, in Commemoraiton of the International Day in Support of Torture Victims, where the “… Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. […]

The Bihar police have arrested Ruby Rai, a 17-year-old girl, under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120(B) of the India Penal Code on 26 June 2016 and have duly sent her to jail, i.e. an adult jail. Her alleged crime is that of cheating to secure top rank in the state senior secondary […]

Basil Fernando The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC SL) marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture in a rather unusual and impressive way. It organized a demonstration with participants carrying placards that said, “Stop Torture”. The president of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, was among the demonstrators. There were also other […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 10-year-old girl has been tortured on the instructions of her teacher at Anula Devi Girls’ College in Galle District, Sri Lanka. The teacher ordered the class to beat the 10-year old girl on the head, considering it a minor crime; 44 students […]

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Mr. Freddy Gamage, journalist and Editor of the Meepura, a newspaper and news website, was violently attacked by unknown persons in broad daylight. The attack occurred in the vicinity of the Negombo Municipal Council, on 2 June 2016 and left Freddy badly […]

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, where the king serves as head of state and has traditionally exerted political influence. In May 2014, military and police leaders, taking the name of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) led by General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, overthrew the interim government led by the Pheu Thai political party. The […]

The Rupavahini, TV channel in Sri Lanka, on 23rd June 2016, telecast a one hour interview with Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission, and Mr Manoj Jinadasa, Senior Lecturer, Mass Media, University of Kelaniya in its early morning programme ‘Ayubowan Suba Dawasak”- the morning talk show. The Rupavahini morning show host, Chaminda Gamage, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Udayan Livingston Bastian of Ambatenna in Kandy District died under mysterious circumstances on 3 July 2015. Despite repeated requests by close relatives of the deceased, the police have refused to hold an investigation into his sudden death. His relatives demand justice. The […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Subramaniam Rubini of Katugastota, Kandy District, has been harassed by police officers attached to the Katugastota Police Station on the whims of a former lover, Selvam. Police officers from Headquarters and the Katugastota Police Station demanded that she pay a sum of […]

Nepal has been a party to the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) since 1991. Since then however, the government has failed to bring about any comprehensive anti-torture legislation in line with the Convention. Nepal’s Torture Compensation Act (TCA) of 1996 only provides compensation to victims if police officers are found guilty of practicing torture, with […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Velauthapilai Renugaruban, a British citizen who was visiting his relatives in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has been illegally arrested, detained, and severely tortured by Sri Lankan police officials. He is being accused of aiding and abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) […]

An article titled “What does true political change imply”, by Basil Fernando which was published in the Colombo Telegraph on 23rd June 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission.   Basil Fernando I had the good fortune of attending a meeting organized by civil society organizations which worked to oust the Rajapaksa regime and helped bring […]

To state that torture is endemic and rampant in Pakistan would be an understatement; torture has in fact become a lifestyle, a norm that is the beginning and end of judicial process in Pakistan. Thousands suffer torture everyday, yet they dare not report their ordeal. The law enforcement agencies that are responsible for this torture […]

Beginning with Thailand this week, Just Asia covers three human rights defenders who have been accused of criminal defamation and violation of the Computer Crime Act for publishing a report detailing 54 cases of torture by the Thai Army in the country’s southern provinces. The three defenders, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Director of the Cross Cultural Foundation […]

After monitoring 20 months of the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua provinces under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is dismayed at the utter lack of progress in the protection and realization of people’s rights. Since President Widodo’s inauguration on 20 October 2014, there were considerable expectations for […]

15th June 2016 Mr. Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC.,  The Attorney General The Attorney General’s Department  Hulftsdorp, Colombo 12,  Sri Lanka Dear Mr Attorney General, Regarding a State Counsel’s application to the Supreme Court to end a fundamental rights application relating to torture and fabrication of charges on a mere police apology We have learnt through media […]

By Basil Fernando I do not know Poddala Jayantha personally. However, I have felt for several years and still strongly feel that I as a human being, and we as Sri Lankans, owe a serious obligation to him. I remember the first day I heard about the cruel way he was dealt with some 7 […]

Opening Statement by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, made at the Human Rights Council 32nd Session on 13th June 2016 forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Distinguished President of the Council, Excellencies Colleagues and friends When the Inter-American Commission announces it has to cut its personnel by forty […]