AHRC News

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SRI LANKA: The recent judgement of the Supreme Court on the Singarasa case is an attack on the sovereignty of the people

Earlier the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) circulated the complete text of this judgement (please see AS-217-2006).  Among the many completely baseless legal positions on which this judgement ...

THAILAND: MILITARY COUP – Restore civilian government immediately

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the military coup in Thailand and calls for immediate restoration of civilian government. At approximately 10pm on September 19 a group of officers headed by...

SRI LANKA: Need for a UN mission & problems for application of international law

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) greatly appreciates your address to the second session of the UN Human Rights Council on September 18, 2006, and in particular the attention you gave to the pe...

THAILAND: What will the government do about NHRC drug war death findings?

The Bangkok Post newspaper of Tuesday, September 19 cited Vasant Panich, the human rights commissioner charged with investigating killings that occurred during the 2003 “war on drugs” as s...

SRI LANKA: Have no illusions — the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is a part of the human rights violation mechanism

We reproduced below a judgement made by a bench of five judges, presided over by the Chief Justice, Sarath N. Silva, of Sri Lanka, which leaves no doubt that the court wishes to nullify the impact of ...

SRI LANKA: Supreme Court removes country from obligations under international law, raises unprecedented questions for UN

A judgment made by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka on Friday, September 15 has all but removed the country from the international human rights community. The court declared that neither United Nations ...

NEPAL: Appointment of Army Chief under investigation for gross abuses must be rescinded

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that army Lieutenant General Rukmangat Katuwal was appointed as army Chief of Staff of Nepal on September 10, 2006, by Prime Minister Girija ...

SRI LANKA: White vans without number plates; the symbol of disappearances reappear

In Sri Lanka a white van without a number plate is a symbol of terror and the disappearances that occurred in all parts of the country.  Commissions on Disappearances in the South during the last few...

PHILIPPINES: The administration of impunity – government seeking to shield alleged killings mastermind from justice

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned by reports emanating from the Philippines concerning alleged attempts to provide one of the most notorious members of the armed forces of ...

SRI LANKA: European Parliament resolution on Sri Lanka

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the European Parliament Resolution on Sri Lanka which was distributed on Thursday, September 7, 2006.  The full text of the resolution is reproduced below: ...

SRI LANKA: Subverting justice regarding the Muttur killings and repeating the legacy of immunity for gross abuses of human rights

The journal entry of the magistrate’s court of Muttur for September 4, 2006, regarding the case of the killings of the 17 aid workers in Muttur belonging to Action Contre La Faim reads as follow...

INDIA: What can be done when the chain goes mad? – How police impunity is killing the rule of law in West Bengal and beyond

There is a saying in India that, “If a dog goes mad it can be chained; but what can be done if the chain goes mad?” Applied to law enforcement, criminals are the dog, the police are the ch...

INDONESIA: Government must come clean on murder of Munir

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you on the occasion of the second anniversary of the murder of human rights lawyer Munir Said Thalib. September 7, 2004 is an unforgettable day f...

INDIA: Bar Council of India is urged to take immediate actions in the case of illegal arrest, torture, continuing detention and fabrication of charges against a human rights lawyer and activist in Manipur

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you to express our deep concern over the continuing detention of Mr. Yengkokpam Langamba Meitei alias Thabi, the Publicity Secretary of the Threa...

CAMBODIA: Beautification for some must not be the impoverishment of others

In its drive to develop and beautify Phnom Penh, the Cambodian government and city municipality have made land concessions to private developers and have used excessive force to evict inhabitants. Evi...

NEPAL: A travesty of justice – military personnel who tortured 15 year old Maina Sunuwar to death must be tried by a civil court

Maina Sunawar was 15 years old when members of the Nepalese armed forces arbitrarily arrested her. Since this date – February 17, 2004 – she has disappeared. All the evidence indicates tha...

INDIA: Government must tackle custodial torture before it can talk about justice

The home minister of Kerala recently admitted that the justice system in the southern Indian state is failing. His reason for this assertion was the low conviction rate, which he attributed to lazy an...

SRI LANKA: While the president himself is threatened by sleeping policemen who will safeguard and protect the citizens of the country?

According to reports from the Sri Lankan press: Twenty four policemen including 4 Sergeants attached to Kollupitiya police station were interdicted with effect from yesterday after an inquiry conducte...

NEPAL: Prosecute acting Army Chief and remove the Army Act’s machinery of impunity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-203-2006 August 31, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission NEPAL: Prosecute acting Army Chief and remove the Army Act’s machinery of impunity The Asian ...

CAMBODIA: Revelations of former police chief must be followed with investigations and suspensions

In mid-August Heng Pov, a former Phnom Penh police commissioner and advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen who is now hiding in a foreign country, issued a public statement and gave an interview to L’...