The AHRC releases today the 18th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup.
In this week’s AHRC TV – Weekly Round we bring you the following stories.
In Sri Lanka, the ruling party has moved yet again to increase censorship of the independent media channels.
In a new twist of events, reports revealed that a popular political satire “And Company” telecast on Swarnavahini has been suddenly banned from telecast without any explanation. The actor Ravindra Yasas plays the lead role in the tele-series and is a candidate in the provincial council election from the Kalutara district under the Democratic Party.
In a further report from Sri Lanka, according to a leading survey, Sri Lanka further declined in press freedom last year placing it among the 20 worst countries in the world for media expression.
In other news from India we continue the coverage on criminal activities by the police, which persists unabated.
The Indian police, infamous for its use of brute force, including custodial torture and rape, was once again responsible for an act of brutality where a police officer from Uttar Pradesh is seen assaulting a civilian helper at the police station in full public view outside the police station.
In news from Indonesia, the Bukittinggi Court delivered a landmark ruling in a torture compensation claim filed by the family of Erik Alamsyah, a victim who was tortured to death by six officers of Bukittinggi Sub-district Police. In its ruling, Bukittinggi District Court ruled that by torturing Erik Alamsyah the six officers are responsible for causing damages.
In Bangladesh the Government continues to terrorize its citizens and persecutes dissident voices who criticize the Government. Human rights organization Odhikar is one of the main victims in the continued repressions. The Secretary of the organization has been taken into police remand for five days and arbitrarily detained in prison for 62 days on fabricated charges.
In Philippines, two more local leaders are shot in cold blood. The victims Julieto Lauron was killed instantly and Nermie Lapatis was wounded requiring surgery, by gunfire from a motorcycle that was obstructing their path.
In our weekly segment on ‘Voices of Survivors’ we speak with a survivor from Sri Lanka.
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