Arbitrary arrest & detention

SRI LANKA: Today is the international day of democracy

Today (15th September) is the international day of democracy although in Sri Lanka we are going through very painful times. When democracy is very serious with challenge, it is very essential for us to recall the basic principles of democracy so that we could reaffirm our commitment to these principles. These principles are citizen participation, equality, […]

SRI LANKA: UN human rights experts condemn repeated use of emergency measures to crackdown on protests

GENEVA (8 August 2022) – UN human rights experts* today condemned the extensive, prolonged and repeated use of state of emergency measures since 2 April 2022 by Sri Lankan authorities to crackdown on peaceful protesters and prevent them from voicing their grievances amidst an economic collapse in the country. On 15 July, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned […]

BANGLADESH: Government Must Bear Responsibilities if Victims of Enforced Disappearances are Harmed

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has submitted a Written Statement to the 128th Session of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) to be held from 19 September to 28 September 2022. While documenting the cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances the AHRC strictly follows the definition of enforced disappearance […]

BANGLADESH: Independent Investigative Mechanism Needed for Affording Justice to Victims of Enforced Disappearances

A Written Statement to the 51st Regular Session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) reiterates the issue of Bangladesh’s unabated enforced disappearances with blanket impunity to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s 51st Regular Session. Halting enforced disappearances in Bangladesh has […]

PHILIPPINES: MY ARREST AND DETENTION FOR CYBERLIBEL

An article from Mr. Walden Bello forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission 17 AUGUST 2022 By Walden Bello On August 8, 2022, officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrived at my residence at 62 Moncado Street, BF Homes, Quezon City, to arrest me on charges of two counts of cyberlibel. The arrest was […]

SRI LANKA: Illegal arrests and illegal detentions damage the legal system

By Basil Fernando Illegal arrests and illegal detentions do not only harm individuals, they also cause irreparable damage to the legal system as a whole. The recent wave of arrests of those who have participated in peaceful demonstrations has not only caused serious damage to the life and liberty of these individuals but they have […]

SRI LANKA: Journalists and Protesters Face Arrests, Assaults, and Interrogations as Government Fails to Tackle Economic Crisis

The crisis of major magnitude is taking place in Sri Lanka. The world has not yet taken adequate notice of the impact of an economic downturn as a result of the inability of the government to pay the foreign loans as a result of which it is suffering from the worst financial crisis ever faced […]

SRI LANKA: Wild Politics and Brutal Policing

By Basil Fernando Police brutality is very much a normal part of the abnormal way of life that exists in Sri Lanka just as attacks by wild elephants have become an usual part of life for people living in remote villages. How that came about has a history of its own and it is the […]

ASIA: Victims and Litigants Suffer in Absence of Independent Judiciary and Legal Profession

An Oral Statement to the 50th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. President The Special Rapporteur’s report has substantively covered the aspects regarding the protection of the lawyers against undue interference and independent exercise of the legal profession. Echoing the Special Rapporteur the Asian Legal […]

BANGLADESH: Victims of Gross Human Rights Abuses are Defenceless in Absence of Judicial Independence

A Written Submission to the 50th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wants to update the Human Rights Council of the United Nations about the situation of Bangladesh’s human rights in relation to the mandate of independence of judges and […]

SRI LANKA: The intimidation of Tamil Journalist, Kumanan by the Sri Lanka Navy, and the accelerated land grab by the Navy in Mullaitivu

A Statement from People’s Alliance for Right to Land forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Click Here to See the Original Statement The People’s Alliance for Right to Land (PARL) condemns the intimidation and harassment of Tamil journalist Kumanan Kanapathipillai by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Police. The harassment took place whilst he […]

INDONESIA: 24 Years since the Student Shooting in the Trisakti case: A Human Rights Case Becomes a Political Bargain?

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 […]

SRI LANKA: MPs Letters – A Revival Of A Very Dangerous Practice Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Share

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 […]

SRI LANKA: Suspend PTA immediately – UN Experts tells GOSL

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) […]

INDONESIA: 33 Years of Talangsari 1989: Changing Policies That Remain Unfavorable to Victims and Justice

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 […]

SRI LANKA: Legal and Societal Consequences Arising from the Failure to Deal with Enforced Disappearances

(Issued on 27 October 2021, 31st annual commemoration of the disappeared in Sri Lanka.) A statement on enforced disappearances Every year, on the 27th of October, there is a commemoration of the persons who have been made to disappear by force. The day is called ‘the day of commemoration of the enforced disappearances. On this […]

INDONESIA: Two Human Rights defenders receive warning letters after criticizing the Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-008-2021  September 15, 2021 ——————————————————————— INDONESIA: Two Human Rights defenders receive warning letters after criticizing the Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment. ISSUES: freedom of expression and opinion, access to justice, fair trial —————————————- Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received […]

BANGLADESH: Government Uses Arbitrary Detention and Degenerated Judiciary Against Dissidents

A Written Statement to the 48th Regular Session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) brings the issue of arbitrary detention and the degenerated justice mechanisms to the United Nations Human Rights Council focusing on the situation in Bangladesh, which is a Member of […]

BANGLADESH: Enforced Disappearances Must Warrant Consequences

A Written Statement to the 48th Regular Session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) raises the issue of Bangladesh’s rabid enforced disappearances to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s 48th Regular Session. Bangladesh’s incumbent government began using enforced disappearances as one […]

SRI LANKA: UN Human Rights Mechanisms Ought to Explore New Approaches to Protect Rights

For several decades now, the widespread practice of enforced disappearances has been experienced in Sri Lanka in a very large scale Despite many attempts by the UN human rights agencies including the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, there are hardly any cases where credible investigations or prosecutions have taken place concerning the cases which sometimes […]