Statement

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES There has been a great deal of lip service given out when it comes to dealing with disappearances. But beyond that, there is hardly any other attempt to do something in real time, regarding such a widely-practiced, heinous crime. Perhaps, that is an understatement. And, there is reason to wonder whether it is […]

Pada 25 September 2015, Sidang Umum Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) mengadopsi Resolusi berjudul “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” Selang dua tahun kemudian, Pemerintah Republik Indonesia mengeluarkan Peraturan Presiden Nomor 59 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelaksanaan Pencapaian Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan. “No one left behind” merupakan prinsip utama pelaksanaan Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan (Sustainable Development Goals/SDGs). […]

Bangladesh experienced at least 400,000 migrant workers deported from the Middle Eastern oil-rich States, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The forced repatriation of migrant workers has been an additional burden. It follows the already overwhelming, un-employment crisis the people of the country are enduring. Some 200,000 laborers have lost opportunities to travel to their desired overseas destinations as migrant workers. […]

It is well-known that systemic abuse of draconian Laws is an established practice in Bangladesh. The incumbent Government has weaponised a number laws, including the Digital Security Act-2018, to intensify its campaign of curbing freedom of expression and opinion. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has compiled publicly available information obtained from the mainstream media. The data shows […]

Access to Justice is coupled with multiple hindrances in Bangladesh’s Justice Mechanism. The filter of politicisation, corruption, and ineptness of professionals at all times supersedes the juridical norms in the country’s Judicial System. The COVID-19 pandemic situation has subtly exposed the problems, as reflections came from participants of a Webinar hosted by the Asian Human […]

After the murder of George Floyd, the world has seen some of the most powerful protests demanding police reforms. The government of the United States has made some minor reforms, but also responded with force. The larger issue of police reform is now one of the most visible demands, and it calls for much more […]

Arbitrarily detained Journalist, Shafiqul Islam Kajol, is at risk of infection by COVID-19 after a prison guard of the Jashore Central Jail is tested positive for the virus on 17 June 2020, as the Asian Human Rights Commission has learned from its sources. Such risk is apparent in Bangladesh where prisons are overcrowded with more than double […]

नेपाल सरकारले साउदी अरबलगायतका मध्यपूर्वी देशहरुका कार्यरत आफ्ना नागरिकहरुको स्वास्थ्य र जीवनरक्षाका लागि प्रयाप्त पहल गर्न सकिरहेको छैन । साउदी अरेबीयाको रियादस्थित एक कम्पनीमा कार्यरत पाल्पा रैनादेवी छहरा–३ का रामप्रसाद (३५)लाई जुन १२ मा कोभीड–१९ संक्रमण प्रमाणित भएको थियो । उनी रियादको आग्री न्यू खर्ज सडकस्थित एक उद्योगमा सवारी चालकका रुपमा कार्यरत थिए । संक्रमणका […]

सन् १९८०, १८ मे कोरीयाका लागिमात्र नभएर संसारका लागि एउटा गौरवपूर्ण दिन हो, जुन दिन सिँगैं सहरहरू र दक्षिण केरियाली नागरिकहरू सैन्य कुका विरूद्द उभिएका थिए । यो यस्तो किसिमको दुर्लभ एक्यवद्दता थियो कि धेरै दिनसम्म नागरिकहरू एकाकार भएर सहरकब्जा गर्न हिँडेको शैन्य बटालियनलाई सहरभित्र पस्नबाट रोक्न सफल भएका थिए । धेरै दिनपछि, सैन्य बटालियनहरू […]

১৯৮০ সালের ১৮ই মে কেবলমাত্র দক্ষিণ কোরিয়া নয়, বরং গোটা বিশ্বের জন্য একটি অতি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ দিন। এই দিনে এক ব্যাপক গণঅভ্যুত্থান সংঘটিত হয়। গোটা কোরীয় সমাজ সামরিক অভ্যুত্থানর বিরুগ্ধে জেগে উঠেছিলো সেদিন। অনেক দিন যাবত জনগণ ঐক্যবদ্ধভাবে রুঁখে দাঁড়িয়ে ছিলো সশস্ত্র ব্যাটালিয়নগুলোর নগরীতে প্রবেশ ও নিয়ন্ত্রণ প্রতিরোধ করতে। সংহতির সে এক অভূতপূর্ব মুহুর্ত! কয়েকদিন পরে, […]

 The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted report to the UN Human Rights Council on 4th of June. It is a very comprehensive report on serious violations of Human Rights that have been taking place in the last few years. In her concluding remarks, the High Commissioner’s report says… “The legal, constitutional and […]

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is about to appoint six new judges as the 9-years tenure of six of the 18 judges ends in 2021. In the lead up to the appointments of the new judges the Assembly of the State Parties (ASP) has already confirmed the nominations of 22 candidates by 15 May 2020. The appointment of the nominated candidates will be […]

The Pakistan Government has failed to improve its pattern of muzzling the Press and overall civic space. It is under the leadership of cricketing superstar/turned politician, Imran Khan. The Authorities have been using the same old abusive techniques with the State agencies. In the previous military and civilian regimes they criminalized the critics of the […]

30 years ago, Richard de Zoysa was abducted and disappeared. His dead body was later found on a beach. During the same period, literally tens of thousands of persons throughout the country were also disappeared, and none of the cases relating to such disappearances have been resolved through genuine investigations and prosecutions. Indeed, the process […]

In many countries in Asia, it has become common for the state to use ultra-violent methods to control or deny the civil rights of people. Several countries used enforced disappearance as such method of ultra-violently suppressing civil rights. Extrajudicial killings are justified under various pretexts, such as control of the drug trade; or achieving constitutional […]

The South China Morning Post recently published a report quoting Colonel Romeo Caramat stating that the Philippines’ ultra-violent approach in curbing drugs has not been effective. He further went on to say that “shock and awe definitely did not work”. The drug supply is still widespread and illicit drugs can be obtained anywhere, anytime in […]

Bangladesh’s incumbent government, headed by Sheikh Hasina, continues curbing civic space and muzzling freedom of expression. The latest target has been Netra News – an investigative news portal launched from Sweden on 26 December 2019. Bangladesh government blocked access to the news portal within 72 hours of its launching with a report entitled “A wrist of luxury”. The […]

An incident was reported in December 2019 from India regarding the gang rape of a woman and what happened thereafter. The news of the gang rape stirred up a massive protest from many parts of India. Among those who were involved in the protest were sections of the intelligencia of India such as Professors, doctors, […]

A side event was held in UN Human Rights Council premises on the 23rd of September. It was sponsored by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and the May 18 Foundation, South Korea. It was also supported by the Right Livelihood Foundation, CIVICUS (Geneva) and the International Bridges to Justice, also based in Geneva. Ambassador […]

Affirming something through a declaration and denying the same in actual practice happens everywhere, but the real test of affirmation is the degree to which something is practiced. When what is affirmed and what is actually practiced is virtually divorced then the very act of affirmation becomes a mockery. That, unfortunately, is the situation regarding […]