Rule of law

INDIA: Female police officer complains against the police

Statement | India | 22-11-2013

This statement is released to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November Ms. Padmini, a traffic warden, has accused local police, investigating her complaint of sexual harassment, of intimidation in order to protect the interest of the offender. The officer’s contention is that, while she was on traffic duty, […]

PHILIPPINES: Massacre victims’ family to mark 4th year anniversary by protest, candle light, Nov. 23

(Hong Kong, November 23, 2013) Myrna Reblando, widow of journalist Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the journalists killed in Maguindanao massacre, will join the victims’ families and lawyers’ group as they commemorate the 4th year anniversary of the massacre in General Santos City from Hong Kong. Myrna Reblando (right) at the cemetery in General Santos […]

PHILIPPINES: Reblando: No justice under Aquino

THE widow of one of the journalists killed in the brutal 2009 Maguindanao massacre who has fled to Hong Kong believes the victims will not get justice under the Aquino administration. Myrna Reblando, widow of Manila Bulletin correspondent Bong Reblando, said she does not see the Quezon City Regional Trial Court handing down a verdict […]

SRI LANKA: A 75-year-old victim of rape and her family seek justice

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 75-year-old was raped and the officers of the Thalathuoya police are protecting the perpetrator who, allegedly, has been involved in a prior case. Suppiah Veerai (75), a resident of Kirimatiya Estate, Nugaliyadda, Thalathuoya in the Kandy District was alone in her house […]

SRI LANKA: An innocent businessman is tortured by Colombo Narcotics Unit officers in an attempt to extort money from him

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Chithra Kumar (32) of Wattala in Nuwara Eliya District was arrested by officers from the Colombo Narcotics division and tortured in an effort to extort money from him. Kumar is a legitimate gold dealer who was arrested after returning from a business […]

PAKISTAN: Safety of Fisher People–World Fisheries Day–

On November 21, the occasion of the World Fisheries Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission is forwarding this following joint press release from the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and the World Forum of Fisher Peoples. All over the World Fisher people are facing violating borders in the process of fishing. It is very common and severe […]

SRI LANKA: AHRC condemns the state media attack on Nimalka Fernando

The threats posed to the life of Ms. Nimalka Fenando, a well-known trade unionist, political activist and a human rights defender, by the commercial channel of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on November 4, 2013 is yet another example of the stark and blatant abuse of the State Media to intimidate, harass and humiliate a […]

ASIA: AHRC TV – Weekly Roundup, Episode 6

   The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to announce the launch of its weekly video news bulletin, the Asian Human Rights Commission – Weekly Roundup. The sixth episode, released today, 19 November 2013, covers an exclusive report on the 2nd Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-treatment Conference (AAATI), that took place in Hong Kong […]

PAKISTAN: A video exposes the fake encounter in which a student leader was extrajudicially killed

On August 22 the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an urgent appeal, PAKISTAN: A student leader was extrajudicial killed in a fake encounter conducted the intelligence agencies. We have now come into possession of a video produced by the police which was leaked to the AHRC which attempts to prove that Mr. Afzal Panhwar was killed […]

SRI LANKA: Erasing the memory of law, an independent judiciary and the legal profession

The announcement by the de facto chief justice, Mohan Pieris, to introduce regulations in order to limit the maximum age to practice as a lawyer to 70 and to impose further regulations for the renewal of the licenses of lawyers every two years, comes as no surprise. The government’s aim is to bring the military […]

ASIA: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders urge effective measures to curb custodial torture

Statement | Asia | 15-11-2013

The following is a statement by participants of the 2nd Conference of Asian Parliamentarians and Human Rights Defenders, 11-13 November, Hong Kong, organised by the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong, and Denmark have attended a meeting to […]

PHILIPPINES: TFDP assails judge for the military’s acquittal in couple’s slay

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) assailed the judge for the military’s acquittal over the slaying of the couple Bacar and Carmen Japalali during a military operation headed by Sgt. Serafin Jerry Napoles last September 8, 2004 in Barangay Bincungan, Tagum City. Hall of Justice, Tagum, Davao del Norte.Photo: AHRC In a nine (9) page […]

SRI LANKA: A solution to the Fishing Rights conflict between Sri Lanka and India

Anybody can make a claim to the fish in the open sea. But, once caught, it becomes the property of one who caught it. However, the Law of the Sea 1982, provides the proprietary country the exclusive right to its natural resources, including fishery resource within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles […]

SRI LANKA: The other news of CHOGM 2013

Violations of Commonwealth Values while the CHOGM 2013 in Progress HR festival obstructed; Hate campaign launched Foreign journalists blocked visiting Jaffna Jaffna protest organisers threatened; people blocked Flights to Jaffna cancelled; Visit to East cancelled Canada denied pro govt media reports Sharma given 3 proposals to implement Leader of the opposition attacked on his way […]

INDIA: Disturbed or discriminated?

Article | India | 11-11-2013

The extension of ‘disturbed area’ status for north eastern states since 1955, and thereby the activation and extension of emergency laws, has been but a routine administrative exercise for the union government. The legacy was upheld this year. The union has again extended the ‘disturbed area’ status of Assam for another six month period, with […]

ASIA: Opening statement by the Chairperson Mr. John Clancey, of the 2nd Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-treatment conference, 11-13 November, 2013, Hong Kong’

As we begin this second meeting let us start with a short reflection on the overall aims of the project to promote the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”) and our progress in working to prevent torture in Asia. In this regard, there have been some historically important achievements this year in the Asian region. The adoption […]

PHILIPPINES: Negative impact of torture and delay in trial of accused in bomb blast

On November 1, 2010, Andaman Mokiding Binago was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a lodging house in Davao City. The NBI claimed that he and the actual accused, Danny Mokiding y Mohamad are one and the same person and charged him with murder charges for allegedly bombing a lottery stall in January 10, 2007 killing […]

PAKISTAN: Nine years on there is no justice for Faraz Ahmed Naveed

Nine years after the brutal murder of Faraz Ahmed Naveed on November 8, 2004 his family still awaits justice. No progress has been made in the investigation. The first report was made by the police officer who attended the scene of the incident and stated that Faraz’ body had a bullet wound in his back […]

PAKISTAN: A woman who chose to marry of her own choice is living under the threat of death by honor killing

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young woman is in hiding in different places after she was declared as Kari (black) for violating the honour of the family by marrying man of her own choice. She was kept in illegal detention by a feudal lord and her brothers […]

PAKISTAN: Child labor — Who are the ultimate losers?

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), “Child labor refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful”. Child labor has been a persistent problem throughout the South Asia, for […]