Rule of law

The fifth Congress of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), held in Manila from 22-25 September and attended by participants from ten countries – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Jammu and Kashmir in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand and Timor-Leste renewed its commitment to fight against impunity and build a world without disappearances. AFAD […]

In this week’s episode of the Weekly Roundup, AHRC TV is pleased to announce that Basil Fernando, the Asian Human Rights Commission’s Director for Policy and Programme Development, will be awarded the Right Livelihood Award, which is also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”, “for his outstanding work to support and document the implementation of […]

Following is a poetic response to ASIA: Wounds in the souls of the members of disappeared people’s families can never be cured, which appeared yesterday (September 26, 2014) by John Joseph Clancey Will there be another tomorrow? Or, just another wife’s sorrow, caused by her husband’s disappearance? Will I hear my new-born baby’s cry? Or, […]

Conference Statement September 17-20, 2014, Manila, Philippines– We, the participants in the conference on “Sharing Best Practices in Advocating for Legislation Against Enforced Disappearances” coming from organizations fromArgentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and the United States of America are convened in Manila, Philippines, the […]

[On 22nd of September, last year] was the day when peaceful Christians of Kohati Gate, Peshawar  assembled for the Sunday prayer service inside the All Saint’s Church in Peshawar where they were cowardly attacked by a terrorist outfit. The attack resulted in nearly about 130 causalities and over 250 injuries. The world noticed the deadliest […]

TEXTS ADOPTED Provisional edition P8_TA-PROV(2014)0024 Human rights violations in Bangladesh PE536.999 European Parliament resolution of 18 September 2014 on human rights violations in Bangladesh (2014/2834(RSP)) The European Parliament, –    having regard to its previous resolutions on Bangladesh, –    having regard to the EC-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement of 2001, –    having regard to Articles 33 and 35 […]

A group of researchers associated with the Sydney University in Australia claim that they have found a more effective way than what has been tried so far, to prevent torture. The more effective way, as claimed, is to engage with the torturers themselves; which means to engage with officers of the security establishments. Quite an […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the judicial harassment of Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and Somchai Homlaor, long-standing and prominent human rights defenders and director and chairperson, respectively, of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) in Thailand, is ongoing. They have been accused of defaming the army and face potential legal prosecution for […]

Two years ago on 11th September  2012 a third degree fire broke out at the Ali Enterprises, garment factory in the industrial area of Karachi, where  259 workers perished – burnt alive. It was one of the most devastating tragedies known in the history of the garment industry. The tragedy sparked a debate but on a […]

Dear friends, A group of women’s rights activists from the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has informed the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that the Madhya Pradesh state government is failing to adequately investigate the death of Ms. Leena Sadhak, a Patwari (a government official who keeps records regarding the ownership of land) at the […]

The worst ever industrial disaster in Pakistan’s history occurred on 11th September 2012 when a massive fire in the three-storied garment factory called Ali Enterprises situated in the Baldia Town area of Karachi caused the deaths of 259 workers and serious injuries to 55 more. Two years have passed since that tragic accident sent shock waves […]

Dear friends, The Terai Human Rights Defenders (THRD) Alliance in Nepal has informed the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that Mr. Hariram Bahun, a 38-year-old bicycle mechanic and resident of ward 7, Ganapur Village Development Committee (VDC), Banke District, was arrested for drug dealing by the police on 2 September 2014. He was tortured by […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that an indigenous man, protesting against a palm oil company, was shot dead by one of their managers. The victim was killed a month after he and his colleagues had retaken control of 4,000 hectares of their land. The company had refused […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from the Human Rights and Peace for Papua – the International Coalition for Papua (ICP) regarding harassment of a Papuan human rights lawyer by the authorities of Indonesia in Papua. For more information, please visit: http://humanrightspapua.org/ . Thank you.  Urgent Appeals Desk  Asian Human […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from the Human Rights and Peace for Papua – the International Coalition for Papua (ICP) regarding risks of persecution by the authorities of Indonesia against a French journalist and Papuan indigenous leader in Papua. For more information, please visit: http://humanrightspapua.org/  Thank you.  […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that 17-year-old Bijay Khadka and 16-year-old Govinda Malla, residents of Sonashree VDC 05 and 06 respectively, were arrested for theft by the police. The two were then tortured by various physical means. They have complained of being forced to confess to the crime and […]

Courtesy to Daily Dawn The government, once again has refused to follow the orders of the Lahore High Court which directed police to register a First Information Report (FIR) which names amongst others, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab Mr. Shahbaz Sharif and 19 others including federal and provincial ministers and government […]

Statement on the Judicial Harassment of Leading Human Rights Defender, Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet We, the undersigned civil society groups, are gravely concerned about the criminal legal action taken for defamation and libel against the Cross Cultural Foundation, headed by Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, by the Army’s Task Force 41. Ms. Pornpen, Director of the Cross Cultural […]

(Note: this article was first published in the August 10, 2014 issue of the Sunday Examiner) What Fernando Obedencio and Haron Abubakar have in common is that they were both arrested in 2005 in General Santos City. Both were 25-years-old, accused on the grounds of planted evidence and both were tortured by the police to […]

In the 41st episode of Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup, AHRC TV brings news of the acquittal of Irom Sharmila. Also known as “the Iron Lady of Manipur”, Irom Sharmila, has been on hunger strike for 14 years in protest against the 50-year-old Armed Forces Special Powers Act in northeast India. The law gives security […]