Independence of judges & lawyers

INDIA: The state of the republic at 61

Statement | India | 25-01-2011

The integrity of a republic and the determination of its people depend upon the legitimacy of their government. Since declaring the Union of India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic that assures its citizens justice, equality, and liberty and to be a nation that endeavours to promote among them all fraternity, 61 years […]

EGYPT/PAKISTAN: A vote for sanity in Egypt — a lesson for Pakistan

The act of solidarity by Egyptian Muslims towards Egyptian Copts is a glowing example for countries and communities around the world. And it must be particularly noted that Pakistan could be one of the main beneficiaries of this attitude. As Egyptian Copts prepared to attend mass at churches across the country, thousands of Muslims, including […]

ASIA: Christmas and New Year Wishes from the Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. In all countries of Asia, this Christmas and new year will be celebrated in very difficult conditions. We extend our wishes to all families who are struggling in the midst of these difficulties to fight for their rights. We particularly […]

INDIA: Test of honesty for the country’s judiciary or an ode on its demise

Statement | India | 28-09-2010

The contempt of court proceedings initiated against Advocate Prashant Bushan in the Supreme Court of India for the allegations he made against some of the former Chief Justices of the country will test the maturity of India’s judicial system and that of its democratic framework. Indeed the Court has a statutory right to initiate proceedings […]

PHILIPPINES: ‘Abadilla Five’ mark 14 years in prison

(Hong Kong, June 18, 2010) To mark the 14th year of their imprisonment the families of the ‘Abadilla Five’ detainees once again held a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court in Metro Manila to renew their calls for justice. They are asking the court to resolve at once the detainees’ appeal convicting them for […]

BURMA: Another human rights lawyer’s licence unlawfully revoked

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned of another case of a human rights lawyer in Burma whose licence to practice was revoked after being released from prison. The lawyer, Ko Phoe Phyu, was freed after heavy pressure from the International Labour Organisation as he had been imprisoned for representing villagers in […]

PAKISTAN: Urgent protection needed for the suvivors of love marriage-related murders; police refuse to investigate

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that authorities in North West Frontier province have taken no action to arrange urgently-needed protection for a man, his sister-in-law and her young son; all are in immediate danger of being murdered as a response to a love marriage, and three murders have already taken place. […]

SRI LANKA: Lawyers Urge Government to Respect the Right to Peaceful Protest

Press Release issued by the Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) Lawyers for Democracy (LfD), a body of lawyers representing over 300 lawyers around the country, committed to democratic values, are deeply concerned with and condemn the events of the past week where a person¡¦s right to protest and expression guaranteed in the Constitution of Sri Lanka […]

PAKISTAN: A university vice chancellor is abducted; authorities prevent an official investigation

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that twenty days after the abduction of a high profile scientist in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), no official investigation has been held into his disappearance. Political agents in the federally administered tribal area have told the man’s family not to lodge a criminal complaint, […]

BANGLADESH: Police torture a man and file fake charges against him and others in support of an alleged con man

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that Paikgachha police have created a fake case against six men; all of whom were trying to take a case against a local con man. Two were demanding the refund of police bribe money. The events suggest that officers are supporting a man who has […]

SRI LANKA: Human rights lawyer and activist facing death threat

Mr. Amitha Ariyaratne, Attorney-at-Law, was threatened three times with death on 27, January 2009 at the Negombo Police Station by some police officers. He was visiting the police station for an official business when this happened. Earlier he was threatened with death and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka passed a resolution condemning the death […]

SRI LANKA: A grenade attack on the house of a senior lawyer involved in cases relating to anti-corruption and human rights abuses

(Hong Kong, September 28, 2008) Last night at 11:40 pm in Colombo, Sri Lanka a grenade was thrown inside the house of the leading lawyer J.C. Weliamuna, who is the Executive Director of Transparency International in Sri Lanka, and a well- known human rights lawyer. Severe damage was caused to a part of the upper […]

NEPAL: Supreme Court punishes the messenger and ignores the message

Statement | Nepal | 18-09-2008

The Supreme Court of Nepal, during an emergency five-hour hearing of the full court on September 19, retaliated against the president of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA), Bishwa Kant Mainali, and his remarks two days earlier against the legal malady of judicial corruption in the country. In reaction to his statement that, in effect, asserted […]

GENERAL APPEAL (Pakistan): Four persons burned alive in hot coal tar while other abuses reported during military operation in Balochistan

[NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached […]

CAMBODIA: Police allegedly extort bribes in arrest in Rattanakiri province

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the police allegedly ordered parents to pay a bribe of 150000 riels (US$37.5) each if their sons were not to be arrested after these youths had damaged a party sign in Soeung commune, Bor Keo district, Rattankiri province. On 2 July 2008, they arrested […]

PAKISTAN: May 12 carnage of Karachi, government should initiate enquiry and protect the lives of citizen

In Pakistan lawyers and the civil society are observing May 12 as a black day in protest of the killing of about 50 persons on May 12, 2007, by a partner ethnic group in President Musharraf’s government. The Asian Human Rights Commission endorses the protest of the people of Pakistan against the barbaric act of […]

PAKISTAN: Chief Justice of a provincial High Court was threatened by a ruling party

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from reliable sources that several judges including the Chief Justice, of the Sindh High Court were threatened by a ruling political party in General Musharraf’s government on accepting the bail applications of several arrested lawyers on 29 September 2007. There were a variety of […]

BURMA: Lawyers, monks determined to defy “forced politics”

BURMA: Lawyers, monks determined to defy “forced politics” (Hong Kong, September 26, 2007) Lawyers in Burma on Tuesday established a new union to introduce “genuine politics” to the country and defy what they called the regime’s “forced politics” as protests continued for a tenth day despite harsh warnings in the media and through loudspeakers on […]

PAKISTAN: Photo-history of the 2007 lawyers’ movement in Pakistan published online

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in collaboration with the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) wishes to announce the publication of a pictorial book that documents the development of the lawyer’s movement throughout the recent tumultuous months in Pakistan. The book covers all the events that occurred between March and July 2007. The publication, entitled “People’s […]

INDONESIA: Refusal to amend the law on torture lends support to its widespread use by the State officers

Indonesia signed the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment on the 23 October 1985 and ratified it on the 28 October I 998 by the Law No. 5/1998. Since its ratification, there have been numerous calls by the CAT Committee- for instance in its “Concluding Observations: Indonesia” (01/11/2002. […]