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These days, there is a great deal of discussion about what is autochthonous, what is indigenous and what is homegrown. Contemporary discussion on the proposed commission for reconciliations and lesson...

The BBC Sinhala Service reported today of a press conference held by the Minister of Media, Keheliya Rambukwella. At this press conference he was questioned on the announcement by the government about...

New Members Should Take Visible Steps to Improve Practices Before Joining in June Please find below a joint press release issued by 10 international NGOs, including the Asian Legal Resource Centre. (N...

Baseer Naveed and Stewart Sloan “Acid will be thrown on the faces of women and girls who step out of their houses without covering their faces… People who fail to comply with these orders will ...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that another case of police brutality in Sri Lanka has yet to be investigated by the authorities. It involves the beating of a man ...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about an illegal arrest and assault by Panadura North police. A man was dragged from his house early in the morning wi...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the conduct of Trincomalee police officers following a police shooting. The victim was allegedly shot at his home dur...

We have cautiously welcomed the announcement by the Presidential Media Unit about the appointment of a commission of inquiry into the recent conflict from the perspective of restorative justice. In ou...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-072-2010 May 7, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: A new commission for restorative justice to deal with difficult past practices of abuse ...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a teacher severely caned three young students in Kurunegala before forcing them to eat inedible produce as part of a punishmen...

The AHRC cautiously welcomes the announcement of the appointment of a commission to probe violations of internationally accepted norms of conduct during the final stages of the conflict and the circum...

According to a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper today (May 4, 2010) there are moves to bring the Attorney General’s Department under the direct control of the president. A gazetted notice to...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Ambalanthotha police officers and a group of civilians broke into a house without a warrant, damaged furniture and took money ...

MCM Iqbal, Secretary to several commissions of inquiry in Involuntary Disappearances recalls some of narratives of cases told by witness before the commissions. This is from a taped interview with Bas...

Basil Fernando Over the years, Sri Lankan Tamils have had leaders such as J.V. Chelvanayagam, G.G. Ponnambalam, Appapillai Amirthalingam, Velupillai Prabhakaran and Karuna Amman to name a few. The fir...

An interview with Mr. Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission by Nilantha Ilangamuwa of the Sri Lanka Guardian (April 24, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) In the last discussion, we examined...

A few days ago a large group of people protested at Annamaduwa against the officers of the local police stations against the killing of one of the young people from the village. No one has been arrest...

“In what country do you appoint an arsonist to put out fires?” Reporters without Borders asked today after learning that Mervyn Silva, a politician notorious for insulting and physically attack...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-067-2010 April 27, 2010 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission SRI LANKA: The IGP must explain the circumstances of Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda’s disappearanc...

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has gathered detailed information on the escalating harassment of criminal witness Saman Thialakasir by police before his murder in February. H...