AHRC News

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PAKISTAN: People’s sovereignty threatened as government pushes ahead plan to sell land to foreigners — Asian Human Rights Commission

The Pakistan government’s announcement to push ahead with a plan to sell or lease 500,000 acres of farmland to Saudi Arabia has caused widespread outrage at home, raising serious concern over the det...

BURMA: Released prisoners tell stories of torture; ICRC role needed — Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the release of prisoners from jails around Burma during the last week, especially human rights defenders and persons who were detained during and afte...

THAILAND: Mistreatment of woman detainee convicted of lese majesty — Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) listened with close attention to your speech on 14 September 2009 to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and is aware of your work for the rights of women p...

SRI LANKA: Continuing with the Prevention of Terrorism Act is a crime against all of Sri Lanka’s children

Those Sri Lankans who grew up before 1971 have seen, at least in a limited way, some basic freedoms. None of them were used to midnight knocks on their doors. If they went to a courthouse, they could ...

SRI LANKA: Biriani, Arrack and Kassipu for ‘Some’ Journalists

FOR PUBLICATION AHRC-ART-050-2009 September 22, 2009 An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: Biriani, Arrack and Kassipu for ‘Some’ Journalists Basil Fernando “Go ...

PAKISTAN: Mysterious death of high-profile terrorist in army custody requires immediate investigation

The body of a high-profile Taliban commander, Sher Muhammad Qassab, was found on the roadside at his hometown, Charbagh, Swat valley on Sunday, four days after his widely publicized arrest on Septembe...

SRI LANKA: A political investigation into a solidarity letter — Asian Human Rights Commission

The President of Sri Lanka is reported to have instructed the Defense Secretary to verify the facts stated in a newspaper advertised petition published in several papers, signed by 133 persons condemn...

SRI LANKA: Unrule of law and manipulations by the Attorney General’s Department

FOR PUBLICATION AHRC-ART-048-2009 September 16, 2009 An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: Unrule of law and manipulations by the Attorney General’s Department Basil Fernand...

HONG KONG: Minimum food allowance for foreign domestic workers

16 September, 2009 We, the undersigned civil groups, are writing to express our serious concern at the lack of a transparent and reasonable mechanism for the minimum food in Hong Kong. As we are all a...

PHILIPPINES: The Commission on Human Rights is urged to initiate a dialogue with President Arroyo asking her to sign the Anti-Torture law promptly

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to express its appreciation of the recent developments that the bill, which seeks to criminalize torture, has been ratified by the Philippine Senate and...

PAKISTAN: Witnesses killed within prison walls: a Christian boy is accused of blasphemy and murdered — Asian Human Rights Commission

The criminal nexus between Pakistan’s government administration, police and Muslim fundamentalist organizations has once again brought to the limelight in the extra-judicial torture and killing of a ...

HONDURAS: NGOs call for establishment of international Group of experts to monitor human rights violations

UN Human Rights Council Member-States September 14, 2009 The undersigned human rights organizations have the pleasure of writing to request that, in the upcoming session of the United Nations Human Ri...

PAKISTAN: Political expediency of the government is putting the lives of religious minorities at stake — Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the uncontrolled violence against religious minorities in various districts of Punjab province, instigated by fundamentalist Muslim g...

SRI LANKA: The contrast between the treatment of J.S. Tissainayagam and Daya and George Master – is the CID above the law? — Asian Human Rights Commission

Last week two prominent LTTE leaders, Daya Master and George Master, were released on personal bail by a Magistrate in Colombo after the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) filed a report stating th...

HONG KONG: Transparent and reasonable mechanism for minimum food allowance for foreign domestic workers needed to ensure right to adequate food

On Sep 2, 2009, Hong Kong SAR government announced that the food allowance in lieu of free food for foreign domestic helpers would be increased from not less than HKD 300 per month to not less than HK...

SRI LANKA: Death threats to family and protection denied — Asian Human Rights Commission

The state fails to respect UN Human Rights Committee¡¦s request to provide protection to a family of witnesses following the assassination of the husband The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the ...

BANGLADESH: Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition) Bill, 2009 is placed before Parliament — Asian Human Rights Commission

On the 10th September, 2009 the Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition) Bill, 2009 was placed before parliament. This bill attempts to bring Bangladeshi law in conformity with the international law....

SOUTH KOREA: Institutional review on declining rule of law required — Asian Human Rights Commission

While the country faced two unexpected deaths of former presidents this year, which have been commemorated nationwide, the deaths of five men in the process of forcible dispersal by the police which t...

PAKISTAN: Frontier Constabulary stormed peaceful memorial service, killing one and critically injuring women and a child

On September 2, the Asian Legal Resource Centre released a statement calling urgent attention of the UN Human Rights Council to the threat of indiscriminate revenge killings in Balochistan made by Pak...

PAKISTAN: Open court trials needed for Intelligence officers who attempted to murder a teacher in Balochistan

A recent incident in Balochistan has put a temporary halt to the year-long targeted killings of non-ethnic Baloch teachers in the province. It has also clearly exposed the hand of state agencies in th...