Freedom of association

THAILAND: Dissent is Not a Crime — Call for International Solidarity with Imprisoned Thai Students

A Statement from the International Solidarity for Thai Students and Teachers forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Fourteen Thai students were arrested on 26 June 2015 and are currently being detained in Bangkok after a series of peaceful protests against the military dictatorship of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). They have […]

NEPAL: Police intrudes Dr. Raut’s privacy and security keeping him under 24 hours surveillance

Statement | Nepal | 03-07-2015

In the past few months, the Nepal Police has made its presence conspicuous in the vicinity of the residence of Dr. CK Raut in Rajbiraj, Saptari District. The number of personnel ranges from 2 to well over a dozen, rising when they think Dr. Raut has reason to leave his home. They have placed Dr. […]

ASIA: Weekly Roundup, Episode 77

In this week’s Roundup, AHRC TV reports on Ganga Maya Adhikari’s ongoing hunger protest in Nepal. She has given the government a 10-day ultimatum to meet her demands for action against the murderers of her son. AHRC TV interviews Ganga Maya in hospital; the government has yet to begin prosecuting those involved in the killing. Next in […]

PAKISTAN: Christian community was attacked again on charges of blasphemy; Punjab government refuses to file case against members of Muslim mob

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information of another attack on the Christian community in Punjab Province; members have been attacked with arms, some houses have been burned, and a Church has been ransacked by an enraged mob under the leadership of a local mosque leader. This attack has taken place […]

INDONESIA: The Army grabs land after a brutal attack on farmers

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding a brutal attack on farmers by the Indonesian Army. The alleged attack in Ramunia Village, Pantai Labu Sub-district of North Sumatera Province, came with the intent of grabbing farmers’ land. Army personnel of Regional Military Office, North Sumatera Province (Kodam I Bukit Barisan), along […]

INDIA: Stop forced land acquisition in Yaithibi Loukon.

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Affected Land Owners’Association against Forced Land Acquisition for Sports University and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, regarding the forced acquisition of prime agricultural land despite protests from farmers and residents. The proposed acquisition to set up the National Sports University […]

WORLD: We cannot sit & wait for cases

Article | World | 08-05-2015

Wolfgang Kaleck interviewed by John Clancey Wolfgang Kaleck is a German civil rights attorney and the General Secretary for the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights. Against huge odds he has sought prosecution charges against a number of US officials and personnel in connected with the alleged human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib and […]

SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka Deterioration of the legal intellect (6): Pattini Razeek’s body buried within a half built private house

by Basil Fernando  The discovery of the body of Pattini Razeek buried under a half-built private house, in a remote village on Uddamaveli, in Valaichchenai, would have flared up the imagination of any detective. However, despite of the discovery on 28th July 2010, the case itself, remained buried till to date. Mr Pattini Razeek who […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Law being misused to prosecute peaceful protestors

The Asian Human Rights Commission has documented that an increasing number of peaceful protesters are being arrested and jailed under the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Act. Citing the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the country, and ensuring the upcoming 2015 election remain peaceful, authorities, especially Administrative Officers, have filed cases against numerous peaceful […]

NEPAL: Inescapable truths

March 24 marks the fifth annual International Day for the Right to Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this day in 2010 to honor the memory of victims and recognize the work of countless human rights activists around the world who have devoted […]

SINGAPORE/WORLD: Declaring Dr. Chia Thye Poh as a Singaporean hero is a better way to commemorate the death of Lee Kuan Yew

Many, including President Barack Obama, have been paying glowing tributes to Lee Kuan Yew since the announcement of his death this morning, 23rd March 2015. However, recalling what Lee Kuan Yew did to Dr. Chia Thye Poh and many other persons who aspired for multi-party democracy and respect for the freedom of expression in Singapore […]

PAKISTAN: Lawless state fails to protect its religious minorities

In recent months more than hundred people lost their lives for professing different religious beliefs.  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) strongly condemns the attacks on two Churches and mourns the murder in cold blood of innocent Christians. The incidents took place on March 15, at Yuhana Abad, Lahore Punjab province outside two churches, St. […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Statement on violent crackdown on student protectors at Lapadan-West Pegu Region by Police Force

A Statement from Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Violent crackdown on the students, monks, journalists, and supporting civilians demanding education reform on 10 March 2015 in Lepadan is totally unlawful and obviously violating the agreement that the government signed on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Civil […]

BURMA/MYANMAR: Attack gangs and falsification again the orders of the day

Over the last week Burma, or Myanmar, has witnessed the re-emergence of some of the most sinister methods of handling public demonstrations in its modern history. The police and civilian attack mobs have violently broken up demonstrations of workers and students in the former capital, Rangoon (Yangon), and the town of Letpadan to its north. […]

BANGLADESH: Protest rallies must be peaceful

Public places in Bangladesh have become unsafe today for the people when protest rallies are held. Even without a public protest, person and property in the country does not have any guarantee to their security. The overall breakdown of law and order is of such state, that a pro-government group, or those protesting against the […]

ASIA: Weekly Roundup, Episode 58

In this week’s episode of Weekly Roundup covers a wide range of events in Bangladesh, Burma, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The episode begins with analysis of legal developments in Pakistan. Hear what AHRC experts have to say on the increase in power granted to military courts. Next, AHRC TV turns to Burma where new protests over […]

PAKISTAN: Baba Jan and Iftikhar Husaain sentenced to life imprisonment for the second time – for fighting for the rights of prisoners

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the continuous persecution of human rights defenders in Gilgit and Baltistan, the occupied lands by Pakistan. Mr. Baba Jan and his associate Mr. Iftikhar Hussain were sentenced for the second time for life imprisonment by an Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) in Gilgit, […]

PAKISTAN: Call to immediately withdraw the sedition charges against the nine human rights defenders for holding a peaceful protest

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that nine human rights defenders from Gilgit-Baltistan, including the President of the Supreme Appellate Court, Bar Association were charged for sedition for holding a protest in front of the office of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) at Gilgit. […]

HONG KONG: The Umbrella Movement and Democracy in Hong Kong

by Jack Clancey During this past week, Central was occupied by thousands of demonstrators, as was Admiralty, Wanchai, Causeway Bay, and other parts of Hong Kong. The key question being asked is: What needs to be done to end the demonstrations? One of the two key demands of the leaders of the Occupy Central movement […]

THAILAND: Intimidation and threatened eviction in southern Thailand

According to information provided by Protection International to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), human rights defenders and other members of the Klong Sai Pattana community in Surat Thani province have been intimidated and threatened with eviction from their homes and villages. The Asian Human Rights Commission is concerned that the in the general atmosphere […]