(Hong Kong, May 29, 2014) In this extensive interview, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission explains what it means to be a Rule of Law system and why it is important for human rights defenders to understand these concepts. All countries in Asia have laws, but very often the laws are not implemented consistently; people are not equal before the law. Often the state uses violence, like torture and extrajudicial killings, with impunity despite the law clearly proscribing such acts.
Mr Fernando explains what basic rights and freedoms all citizens must have and what legal procedures must be in place and fully functioning in order for a country to call itself a Rule of Law system. As he explains, this fundamental normative framework cannot be compromised by the powers of the executive branch of government. Neither can it be revoked by tradition, culture or religion that dictates inequality, or usurped by “national security” concerns, except with what is absolutely necessary in order to keep people safe during a period of civil unrest. Watch the interview to learn more.
The video can be viewed here
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