Freedom of association

INDONESIA: Security Forces forcibly terminated Workshop on 1965 massacre

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the committee of International People’s Tribunal (IPT) in Klender, East Jakarta city, Jakarta, Indonesia. It relates to a forced termination of a Workshop by Police Officers, Military Personnel, a village head and thugs. They accused the committee and participants of disseminating Communist and […]

SRI LANKA: What is Folk School Method and what is its relevance to human rights work – Two Videos;

Watch English Version Watch Sinhala Version The Asian Human Rights Commission is happy to present two video presentations; one in English and one in Sinhala by Mr. Basil Fernando on the Folk School method. For almost 25 years, the Asian Human Rights Commission has constantly utilized the Folk School methodology, as its approach for developing a human […]

INDONESIA: Stop persecution against the right to freedom of expression and opinion

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has become aware that persecution against people who exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion is very widespread in Indonesia. The violations are mostly committed by hardline groups. This persecution has been prevalent since the Police investigated and prosecuted Mr. Rizieq Shihab, the leader of an anti-tolerant […]

PAKISTAN/BELGIUM: Stop the deportation of Mr. Sajid Hussain, an asylum seeker currently in Belgium, bearing file number SP 5894203, to Pakistan

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of, Mr. Sajid Hussain, a Kashmiri frontline human rights defender facing deportation to Pakistan from Belgium. We are informed that Hussain has been a vocal advocate for the independence of Kashmir associated with United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP). We […]

INDONESIA: Two years under Widodo and rights protection still weak

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Commemorating Human Rights Day every December 10 reminds us of the importance of human rights protection, which is still lacking in Indonesia. In the last two years, under President Joko Widodo’s administration, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has observed […]

PAKISTAN: Investigate the raid and harassment at Ahmadiyya Headquarters

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab, having raided the headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Community, a minority religious group, declared non-Muslim by the Constitution. During the raid, the officers manhandled and tortured persons, made four arrests, registered cases against 9, and confiscated […]

THAILAND: Drop charges against pro-democracy activists

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) regarding military officers and police officers harassing activists who exercise their right to expression and peaceful assembly. On 23-24 June 2016, the police have accused 13 pro-democracy activists of violating the junta’s ban on political gatherings […]

AHRC TV: JUST ASIA, Episode 124

Just Asia begins this week with a ground breaking report on Nepal’s anti-Constitution protests, in which over 40 persons died. Published jointly by the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance, the report concludes that security forces consistently engaged in excessive use of force against protestors and bystanders from August 2015 […]

NEPAL: Protest & Repression – Special Report on State Responsibility for 37 Killings During Protests in Terai

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Terai Human Rights Defenders Alliance (‘the THRD Alliance’) published today a report on the anti-Constitution protests from August 16, 2015 to February 5, 2016 in which over 40 people died. The report focuses on the use of force by the Government of Nepal against protestors and bystanders. Based […]

PAKISTAN: From the Frying Pan, to the Fire

Human Rights violations remain widespread due to the failings of, and lack of reforms to, the country’s institutional framework, in particular, key institutions of the rule of law – the police, the prosecution, and the judiciary. This is compounded by persisting impunity enjoyed by law enforcement agencies particularly by the Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies. […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Parliamentary Elections 2015 — D-Day

The landmark election is scheduled to conduct on tomorrow (Sunday, November 8, 2015). Around 90 political parties with 6,065 candidates, around 10,500 national and international election observers, and over 40,000 polling stations are set to play the role. This may not fully achieved what the people are dreaming of but it may give positive outputs […]

INDONESIA: One year later, protection of human rights has yet to become policy of Widodo government

October 2015 marked one year of Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s administration, since being sworn into office on 20 October 2014. On the occasion of this milestone, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and its local partner the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) reviews the government’s […]

AHRC TV: Weekly Roundup, Episode 97

The Roundupthis week opens with a report of yet another targeted assassination in Bangladesh, which pushes the country further into lawlessness and terror. Faisal ArefinDipan, owner of a publishing house, is the latest victim. AHRC TV interviews Md.Ashrafuzzamanabout the killing spree and what is behind it. Next in this programme, BablooLoitongbam, of Human Rights Alert […]

SRI LANKA: පෙළපාලි හා මහජන උද්ඝෝෂණ වල පොලිස් සහභාගීත්වය

නීතිඥ බැසිල් ප‍්‍රනාන්දු නොබෝදා පත්කරන ලද ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිසම විසින් ඔක්තෝබර් මස 29 වන දින විශ්ව විද්‍යාල ප‍්‍රතිපාදන කොමිෂන් සභාව ඉදිරිපිටදී ශිෂ්‍යයන් කණ්ඩායමකට පොලිසියේ කැරලි මර්ධන ඒකකය විසින් පහර දීමේ සිද්ධිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් පරීක්‍ෂණයක් පැවැත්වීම ආරම්භ කිරීම සතුටට කරුණකි. එම පරීක්‍ෂණ කොමිටුවේ වාර්තාව සති දෙකක් ඇතුළත නිකුත් කරනු ලබන බවට ජාතික පොලිස් කොමිසමේ ප‍්‍රකාශකයෙකු විසින් නිවේදනය […]

PAKISTAN: Blogger arrested for tweets about judge

Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies have extended their tentacles to a web blogger who found cyberspace the only avenue available to him to expose the underbelly of corruption in the country. On October 28, a 19 year old blogger and political worker of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) allegedly […]

PAKISTAN: Christians are required only as sweepers

An article from The Friday Times, written by Asif Aqeel forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Asif Aqeel On September 28, the Punjab Cardiology Hospital issued a corrigendum stating that both Muslims and non-Muslims were eligible for sanitation-related jobs. Earlier on September 17, the hospital, in an advertisement in several newspapers, had stated “Only […]

INDONESIA: A person illegally arrested, beaten and given no access to a lawyer

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the illegal assault and detention of 26-year-old Taufiq, accused of allegedly selling drugs, by police officers of the Tanah Abang police sector (Polsek Metro Tanah Abang), Jakarta, Indonesia. During the police examination process, the police have beaten Taufiq and forced him to confess […]

PAKISTAN: Despite all of their contributions minorities remain marginalised

An article from The Nation forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission R Umaima Ahmed In August 2009, following the efforts of Clement Shahbaz Bhatti Federal Minister for Minorities who had earlier founded the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance in 1985, Mr Asif Ali Zardari the then President and Yousaf Raza Gilani the Prime Minster declared […]

ASIA: Weekly Roundup, Episode 81

An Announcement by the Asian Human Rights Commission This week’s Roundup begins in the Indian state of Kerala. The state government has initiated a process of police reforms. This unique initiative involves enabling the police to undertake scientific crime investigation. AHRC TV interviews AHRC Executive Director Bijo Francis to learn more about the outlook for […]

INDONESIA: Time to release all political prisoners in Papua and West Papua provinces and revise the Penal Code

Mr. Setya Novanto Chairperson of the House of Representative  Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) Gedung Nusantara III DPR RI, Lt I Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, INDONESIA Tel    : +62 21 571 5311 / + 62 21 5715868  Fax    : +62 21 573 1967 / +62 21 5715368 Email    : set_tu_ketua@dpr.go.id Dear Mr. Novanto,  INDONESIA: Time […]