Threats and intimidation

Recent events in India remind us of the landmark case of Balwant Singh & Anr. v State of Punjab 1995 (1) SCR 411. In this case, two Government officers were convicted by a Special Court under Ss.124 A and 153A of the Indian Penal Code for raising slogans in support of Khalistan on the day […]

by Avinash Pandey ‘There are no stains on my government,’ said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the United States of America. This can only mean that the Prime Minister thinks the bloodstains of innocent Indians are not stains. In actual fact, no one can remember another time when so much blood was […]

A news item was published in the Daily News today under the title – Alleged attack on 160 Churches – BASL asks lawyer to come clean. In this news item, it refers to an order made on the basis of a decision at the Bar Council calling on Mr. Lakshan Dias, Attorney-at-Law, to explain the statement made by […]

With the collapse of the overall system of governance in Pakistan, the jail system followed suit and collapsed. As the last resort in the system of criminal justice, jails were meant to reform an individual who has gone astray and resorted to crime. Due to pervasive corruption and incompetence the prison system has been reduced […]

A Statement from Front Line Defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission On 20 June 2017, human rights defenders Noor Ejaz Chaudhry, Usama Malik and Shabir Hussain were abused and beaten by a large group of lawyers in the courtroom of the Lahore High Court. The three lawyers are part of the defenceteam led by […]

A Statement “Rapid Collapse of the Secular State “ translated by Yahapalanaya Lanka issued and forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission. SINHALA Version English Version Read HERE 2017 ජුනි 24 වෙනි දා‘ ආසියානු මානව හිමිකම් කොමිසම‘ මගින් ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කරන ලද “ශ්‍රී ලංකාව/ ලෝකය: ලෞකික රාජ්‍යයේ සීග්‍ර කඩා වැටීම” නමැති මේ සමග අමුණා ඇති ලිපිය සිංහලට පරිවර්තනය කලේ ‘යහපාලන ලංකා‘ අනුග්‍රහයෙනි. එය ඔබට ප්‍රයෝජනවත් […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture The government of Pakistan has stated before the UN Committee on the Convention against Torture (CAT) that it does not intend to set-up legislation against torture and ill-treatment. On May 13, 2017 during the UN review, […]

A Press Release from Their world News forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) PAKISTAN: Host to the second largest refugee population – 1.4 million, almost entirely from Afghanistan — UNICEF Around the world last year, an average of 28,300 people every day were driven from their homes by conflict, persecution or human rights violations. […]

The events that unfolded this week shockingly foretells the story of the very rapid collapse of the secular state in Sri Lanka. Although, the events around which a new melodrama unfolded in Sri Lanka were some trivial events of several warrants issued against one Buddhist monk, in which the Sri Lankan state finally proved that […]

A Joint Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission and Odhikar on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies have institutionalized torture within their day-to-day operations. Policing, maintaining law and order, and conducting crimeinvestigations, all incorporate torture as an integral part. At the same time, the widespread use of torture […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture India is the only country in Asia that has during the past seven decades remained a parliamentary democracy, having elected its government through a transparent and accountable democratic process. Its judiciary is independent, and […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Torture remains a serious problem in Indonesia, even after 18 years of police and legal reform. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has noted some fundamental problems that prevent the elimination of torture in […]

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on the occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture On occasion of the International in Support of the Victims of Torture 2017 we think it is appropriate to recall the recommendations made by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or […]

The events that unfolded this week shockingly foretells the story of the very rapid collapse of the secular state in Sri Lanka. Although, the events around which a new melodrama unfolded in Sri Lanka were some trivial events of several warrants issued against one Buddhist monk, in which the Sri Lankan state finally proved that […]

READ Report on Independence of Judges and Lawyers  READ Report on Torture The Asian Human Rights Commission strongly endorses the reports of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of Judges and Lawyers, Ms. Monica Pinto and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Dr. Juan E Mendez. For […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mr. Sandaradura Nilanka de Silva. On 28 March 2016 he was illegally arrested by police officers attached to the Kalutara North Police Station. Later he was severely tortured resulting in the loss of one tooth. Nilanka was introduced to the Informant who gave his […]

By Sanjeewa Weerawickrama [1] The history of torture has been from time immemorial. Today and in the future torture is a reality in many countries. To solve a problem there may be multiple approaches. Maybe certain methods are more effective than others but each has its own ways, means and value. An intervention to minimize […]

This week Just Asia begins with Pakistan, which observed World Day Against Child Labor on June 12. Despite official fanfare and praise, child labour continues to increase in the country, and child rights groups have criticized the government for not criminalizing it. Civil society is urging the government to formulate policies and laws to eliminate child labour and take […]

This week Just Asia begins with Save the Children’s new report ‘Stolen Childhoods’ in Sri Lanka. Launched on June 1, the report explores a unique index presenting the major reasons why childhood comes to an early end. Sri Lanka is ranked as the 61st best country in the world for children to grow up in, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding medical officers attached to Ingiriya Government Hospital and the Horana Base Hospital refusing to treat a torture victim on 17th January 2017. The victim, according to information, had been severely tortured by police officers attached to the Ingiriya Police Station on that same day. […]