Administration of justice

In commemorating the 24th year of the student shooting in Trisakti and Semanggi, and with two years to go before the General Election in 2024, the Minister of the State Owned Company (BUMN), Mr. Erick Thohir appointed the Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) to provide houses for the four families of the victims of the student […]

By Basil Fernando  There are many reports in the media that Government Members of Parliament are sending lists to the Police to arrest persons. This habit has been revived after the events of May 9th and the days that followed. Now the media reports that thousands of arrests have been made and that hundreds are […]

By Basil Fernando April and May 2022 will be remembered as the most important months in the post-independence era. During this short period the much hoped for people’s awakening expressed itself powerfully. People who wielded authority failed to see the writing on the wall although the wall was just next to the Presidential Secretariat and […]

By Basil Fernando One of the most popular phrases that is being talked about in Sri Lanka is the need for a system change. Often in media interviews, various people are asked about what they mean by a system change. Varying answers are given by persons depending on their ideologies, perspectives and above all, on […]

By Basil Fernando Two crises overlap in Sri Lanka. One is the economic crisis which preoccupies everyone at the moment. However, in seeking a solution to the economic crisis, another crisis stands against any real solution. That is the constitutional crisis. However, this aspect has not received very much attention during the discussions which are […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following letter from Mr. Nagananda Kodituwakku to The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ——- AHRC-FLT-001-2022 April 18, 2022 A Letter from Mr. Nagananda Kodituwakku forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) United Nations High […]

Can Sri Lanka rise from its constitutional limbo? When Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe accepted to take over as the Head of the Central Bank, in one of his early statements, he said that he would be able to do the expected job if there is no interference from outside. The demand for non-interference is today one […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the President of Republic of Indonesia Mr. Joko Widodo President of the Republic of Indonesia Jl. Veteran No. 16 Jakarta Pusat INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 Dear Mr. President: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) supports statement of the […]

A Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the UN Secretary-General about the situation in Sri Lanka Download the PDF Version of the Letter Mr. António Guterres Secretary General of the United Nations Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General United Nations, S-233 New York NY 10017 USA A letter to inform about the […]

An article from Victor Ivan forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission I have penned this article with the view to enlightening the political leaders of the country and those who express ideological views and are interested in the subject, the need for having an objective and pragmatic program for overcoming the crisis facing Sri […]

(Hong Kong, March 25, 2022) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from local network about police are still at the Konawe Islands Regency. After Gema Kreasi Perdana Company grabbed the land of residents who objected to mine on Tuesday (1/03) and last Thursday, (3/03), the Konawe Islands Regency Government through its Deputy […]

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-001-2022  March 14, 2022 ——————————————————————— INDONESIA: Police officers in Northlubuklinggau Torture a Supect to Death ISSUES: Torture, remedy, access to justice, impunity ——————————————————————— Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding an alleged case of torture that resulted in […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. Joko Widodo President of the Republic of Indonesia Jl. Veteran No. 16 Jakarta Pusat INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 3458 595 Fax: +62 21 3484 4759 Dear Mr. President: INDONESIA : The Gema Kreasi Perdana Company forcibly entered […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes the inauguration of the people’s commission for women in Sri Lanka. This new people’s commission was launched on the 8th of March. About 150 persons participated at the opening ceremony held at the Mahaweli auditorium. Padma Pushpakanthi explained the aims of this people’s commission. The title ‘people’s commission’ was […]

By Basil Fernando  The Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) suffered a great setback when its promise to amend the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA) was responded to by the 16 UN special experts calling on the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) […]

GENEVA (2 March 2022) – UN human rights experts* have called for an immediate moratorium on the use of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and urged the Government to substantively review and revise the legislation to comply with international human rights law. “There is a grave risk to the rights and liberties of […]

According to various data and information, in the Talangsari massacre, 130 people died, 77 people were forcibly evicted, 53 people experienced the deprivation of liberty and 46 people experienced torture. “The process of resolving the Talangsari massacre has dragged on and the victims have waited too long for legal certainty. On the 33 years of […]

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) , a Regional Human Rights Organization, having seriouslyobserved and studied the manner in which the Contempt of Court law and the way it is practiceLin Sri Lanka, wish to express its deep concern over the violations of International law and the Sri Lankan Constitution itself, by depriving protection of law […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Legal Resource Centre to the Chief of National Police General of Police LISTYO SIGIT PRABOWO Chief of National Police (KAPOLRI) Jl. Trunojoyo Number 3 Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan 12110 INDONESIA Telephone: +62 21 384 8537, 726 0306 Fax: +62 21 7220 669 Electronic mail: info@polri.go.id Dear General: INDONESIA: Withdraw police […]

By Basil Fernando In two occasions, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) held in two separate cases decided by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court related to contempt of court that the punishment imposed by the Court amounted to disproportionate punishment and that such punishment amounted to illegal detention. The UNHRC held that on both […]