Rule of law

(Hong Kong, April 25, 2014) Rights groups in Thailand have informed the U.N. of continuing, routine use of torture in the country, ahead of a review of its compliance with an international law against torture. In reports submitted to the U.N. Committee Against Torture as part of its review of Thailand under the Convention Against […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the disappearance of a student leader from Balochistan province. He has been missing after his arrest from the meeting of the executive committee of his organisation by the notorious intelligence agency of Pakistan, the ISI. The personnel from the Frontier Corps (FC) of […]

Cross Cultural Foundation For immediate release on April 20th, 2014 Public Statement Demanding Immediate Explanation and Investigation by Relevant Officials Regarding the Disappearance of a Karen Hill-Tribe Human Rights Defender ​According to a news report, Mr. Billy or Por Cha Lee Rakcharoen has disappeared since the afternoon of April 17th 2014. At the time of […]

The decision of a high court judge in Kerala to stop hearing a case, following the visit of a lawyer who allegedly trying to influence him, is another symptom of low morale within the judiciary as well as the Bar. The judge in question, Justice C. T. Ravikumar, was hearing a series of litigations relating […]

Adilur Rahman Khan, Human Rights Defender of Bangladesh; AHRC File Photo Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, a renowned human rights defender, who has been relentlessly persecuted by the incumbent regime in Bangladesh, has been recognized for his courage by the global human rights community. Adilur has been awarded the 2014 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, which he […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a show cause notice to the Geo Television for the cancellation of its license on the instructions of the Ministry of Defence, initiated by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), an illegal spy agency of […]

23rd April 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Complaint filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director (Complaint No: HRC/3083/13) before the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN) and its Chairmen will be taken up for hearing tomorrow (Thursday, 24th April 2014) […]

• Labeling of lawyers by military continues • Practice of labeling root cause of extrajudicial killings • Pattern of ongoing threats against legal profession Philippines, 23 April 2014 – Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) warn in an open letter to President Aquino of the Philippines for the continued labeling of lawyers […]

The ‘Standing Committee on Rule of Law of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’ condemns the behavior of the members of the ‘Bodu Bala Sena’ who stormed Nipon Hotel where a group of Buddhist monks headed by Rev Watareka Vijitha Thero and other representatives of Civil Society organizations were holding a press conference to explain […]

According to reports a 37 year old British nurse who arrived in Sri Lanka this Monday (21st April 2014) was taken by a taxi driver to a nearby police station where, according to her, she was harassed by policemen who demanded money from her. She had arrived at the Airport and the immigration authorities had […]

(Hong Kong, April 23, 2014) Yesterday, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and his delegation arrived in Hong Kong reportedly to offer an apology on behalf of the City of Manila to the victims and families of the 2010 Manila bus hostage incident. In August 2010, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had also expressed its concerns and […]

‘Lawyers for Democracy’ condemn the harassment of the editor of Lakbima Newspaper, Sman Wagaarachchi by calling him to appear before the CID for questioning for the mere reasons that the caption to a photograph published in the paper has caused embarrassment to a party.   While conceding that it may have coursed embarrassment, we are surprised […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Martin Ennals Founation. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- FORWARDED PRESS RELEASE AHRC-FPR-012-2014 A Press Release from Martin Ennals Foundation is forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) BANGLADESH: Adilur Rahman Khan is selected for […]

Unethical clinical trials conducted without obtaining informed consent of the participants have struck India again, killing 254 women from the most marginalised sections of society. The deaths, or rather murders, have taken place in the course of a 15-year long United States funded clinical trial for a cervical cancer screening method. The women who perished […]

Recently, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published its report ranking the country as 3rd “most deadly for journalists,” next to Iraq and Somalia. In another report, the Global Witness ranked the country as the 3rd “most dangerous” for environment and land defenders worldwide, next to Brazil and Honduras, where indigenous people struggle for control of their lands. The […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that seven persons were arrested and charged with being involved in a fracas that caused the death of one Mr. Renganathen. The confrontation occurred when a group of men tried to intervene in an argument between two men, Moses, a Catholic and Dickson, a […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a group of nine men were arrested by the Matale police at the instigation of the Superintendent of the Hunnasgiriya Estate. The incident occurred after a group of men protested at the office of the superintendent who had earlier assaulted a man for […]

Today the AHRC releases the 25th Episode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup.  In this week’s special programme we report on the AHRC’s Partner’s Meeting, which was held last week in Hong Kong. Human rights defenders from around Asia gathered to discuss future strategies and directions for their work. The theme for this year’s meeting […]

The collusion between the Pakistan military and the Taliban is so strong that the military does not want to hold an operation in North Waziristan If anything flagrant is to be noticed in North Waziristan, it is the lack of seriousness and the obvious collusion of the state with the terrorists organisations based in that […]

The 30 July 2013 announcement of the Congress Working Committee decision to create a separate Telangana state within the Union of India spurred other statehood demands. In Assam, ethnic groups like the Bodos, Karbis, Dimasas, and Koch Rajbonshis – which have all been fighting for separate states for themselves – unleashed serial agitations and economic […]