Rule of law

On 27 May 2014 the state media in Burma (Myanmar) published the latest in a series of anti-democratic laws for the national legislature to consider: the Law Relating to Religious Conversion (Draft). Like other anti-democratic draft laws brought through the legislature since the country’s shift from overt to covert military rule, this new draft law […]

SRI LANKA: An open letter to the President of the Bar Association on professional negligence of some magistrates Upul Jayasuriya President Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL) No. 153 Mihindu Mawatha Colombo 12 Sri Lanka Fax (+94) 11 244 80 90 Dear Mr. Upul Jayasuriya, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has closely monitored the situation of […]

The Rajasthan board of secondary education has recently announced its intent to include a chapter on the life and achievements of Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in its school textbooks. Following this, the Madhya Pradesh state government has announced the same. The announcements have no shock value […]

The world is once again shocked by the news of the stoning to death of a 25-year-old pregnant woman, Farzana Parveen Iqbal, in Pakistan. The stoning took place before the Lahore High Court where she had attended due to a summons. The stoning was carried out by 20 members of her own family including her […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following open letter from Irom Sharmila Chanu. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ——- AHRC-FOL-005-2014 May 29, 2014 An Open Letter from Irom Sharmila Chanu forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji,  South Block, […]

Civil Society Women’s Organisation 29 May 2014 Shillong, Meghalaya The Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), an anti-corruption and women’s rights organization, Shillong, is deeply concerned of widespread torture by police leading to deaths including deaths in custody and other similar human rights violations in Meghalaya. Ordinary people are often helpless in the hands of such […]

Leader of National Peace and Order Council Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha Royal Thai Army Headquarters Rachadamnoen Nok Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Fax:  (+66-2) 226 1838 E-mail: prforeign@gmail.com Dear General We, the members of civil society and human rights defenders of Nepal, express our deep concern over the takeover the administration of the country by the military junta, […]

(Hong Kong, May 29, 2014) In this extensive interview, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission explains what it means to be a Rule of Law system and why it is important for human rights defenders to understand these concepts. All countries in Asia have laws, but very often the laws are not implemented […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that threats against human rights defenders in the Khon Rak Ban Koen Group working to protect their communities from the negative effects of mining in Loei Province in Thailand are again at imminent risk of violence, under the cover of the military takeover of the […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission is saddened to learn of the death of Deshamanya Ranjith Abeysuriya PC, a man of impeccable integrity who contributed for many years in various capacities to the protection of the rights of Sri Lankan citizens in a period which saw some of the most devastating attacks on democracy and the […]

FOCUS ON RIGHTS Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena, The Sunday Times, May 25th 2014 It would be a fair guess to say that not even the most perceptive amongst us could have predicted the extreme degeneration of the police service and most unfortunately, the country’s judicial institution, in post-war Sri Lanka. Taking the road less traversed This week, […]

The undersigned national and international civil society groups call on the Cambodian Senate to delay its review of three bills passed by the National Assembly (NA) on ‘reforming’ the judiciary that, if passed, could seriously undermine the rule of law in the Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia). The groups reiterate their call for broad public consultation […]

Demands a Commission of Inquiry covering at least last three years May 24, 2014, 7:24 pm The Standing Committee of the Rule of Law of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has issued a strong statement condemning the death of criminal suspects in police custody saying that the “acceptance of such blatant manifest untruths has […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a young man of the age of 17 who was illegally arrested by officers from the Kandaketiya police and severely tortured along with his brother and another family member. Despite appeals by his parents and lawyers the Magistrate who heard the case presented […]

A blasphemy case has been registered under sections 295, 295C 298C and others against GEO media group owner, Mir Shakilur Rehman, anchor Shaista Lodhi, Veena Malik, Asad Khatak and other people, creating a new state of affairs. Perhaps this is the first time that such high profile people have been charged under the blasphemy law […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO), an anti-corruption and women’s rights organization based in Shillong, Meghalaya regarding the custodial death of an 18-year-old youth Mr. Balsan S. Marak. Balsan was arrested under dubious circumstances on charges of kidnapping and torture of women on 13 […]

Series of deaths of persons in police custody as suspects regarding the commission of criminal offences is of serious concern. The identical explanations given by the police regarding each such case of death while in custody and acceptance of such blatant manifest untruths has made a mockery of the system of administration of justice in […]

A 17-year-old boy named, P.H. Sadun Mallinga, from Atturukudua, Megahakiula, was arrested with his brother and brutally assaulted by a group of policemen from the Kandaketiya police without any reason. He died at the remand prison due to the severe injuries he suffered by the assault. He died in his brother’s arms. Now the brother […]

Today the AHRC releases the 28th Episode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup. In this week’s programmewe report on encouraging new legislation in Sindh Province in Pakistan, banning child marriage under 18-years of age. We show disturbing footage of police torture in Jammu and Kashmir with a report of India’s “gangsters in uniform”. Also in India, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 65-year-old Ahmadi was shot dead in a police lockup. The victim was arrested on charges of Blasphemy without legal process. He remained in the police lock up for three days without being produced in a court of law. On May 16, the […]