Institutional reform

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to clarify its position regarding the controversy about the government’s proposal for a law to force the registration of non-governmental organisations with a National Secretariat functioning under the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. There are two separate issues involved: A) NGO registration under Agency of Ministry […]

by Dipendra Jha Courtesy : Kathmandu Post  A cartoon depicting the face of the Chief Justice hovering above a coconut tree was published on 6 November 1996 in the weekly newspaper “Bimarsa“. The CJ was caricatured as being asked to throw a file titled “Tanakpur Agreement” to the opposition and ruling leaders, who were standing […]

Three television channels of Pakistan’s most watched and most influential media network  Geo TV, was ordered to be taken off air and shut down for a period of 15 days on the  instruction of the country’s intelligence agency the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate  (ISI). Continuing the attack Geo TV was also baselessly fined a sum of […]

The Kathmandu District Court has given a clean chit to Mrs. Surakshya Singh, a.k.a Nikki, on 2 June 2014. Nikki has been the principle suspect in the case of disappearance of Mrs. Chhori Maiya Maharjan, missing for the past two years. In following this case, and the functioning of the criminal justice mechanisms, right up to […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Manoj Singh, a local journalist working with Gorakhpur News Line, regarding the deadly disease Encephalitis, which has struck again in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The toll has already climbed to 60, with monsoons – during which the disease spreads quickly – still distant. Despite […]

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to six Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Special Rapporteur on Torture Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful […]

SRI LANKA: An open letter to the President of the Bar Association on professional negligence of some magistrates Upul Jayasuriya President Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL) No. 153 Mihindu Mawatha Colombo 12 Sri Lanka Fax (+94) 11 244 80 90 Dear Mr. Upul Jayasuriya, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has closely monitored the situation of […]

(Hong Kong, May 29, 2014) In this extensive interview, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission explains what it means to be a Rule of Law system and why it is important for human rights defenders to understand these concepts. All countries in Asia have laws, but very often the laws are not implemented […]

The United States, the United Kingdom and a delegation of the European Union on Friday called upon the Government of Pakistan to resolutely defend media freedom in the country, adding that gags on the media and attacks on journalists were not acceptable. While marking the World Press Freedom Day today, May 3, the European Union […]

The Supreme Court of India and its subordinate courts have, over the past six decades, issued more than a dozen directives and orders prohibiting the practice of manual scavenging in India. The evil practice, of literally carrying human faeces or cleaning the same from public toilets, is widespread in the country. In most cases the […]

Today the AHRC releases the 24th Episode of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundup.  In this week’s programme we report on the encouraging peace agreement which has been signed in Mindanao, putting an end to a 40-year-old conflict between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Philippine government. In Qatar, hundreds of migrant workers have died […]

Litigants have approached the Supreme Court of India with manifold requests, solemn and bizarre, that ranges from seeking the court’s intervention to guarantee basic rights for the prisoners to asking the government of India to declare parts of Pakistan as India. These litigations are filed seeking the court to invoke its authority under article 32 […]

There are estimated 15,451 pending cases at the Supreme Court (SC) of Nepal. Last year the Supreme Court gave final decisions on only 4360 cases. There are still 12,114 pending cases from last year and 8097 registered this year that makes total of 20,211 pending cases at the SC. So far this year, the SC […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the case of brutal attack by the local police of a lawyer, practicing at Thrissur courts. It is reported that the incident happened when the victim in the case, Ms. R. K. Asha, went to help her client and friend Ms. Neethu. The Sub-Inspector […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the allegedly illegal and unjust dismissal of more than 100 production workers in the Mamplasan, Binan, Laguna Plant. The information from Defend Job Philippines and Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Print Town (United Workers in Print Town) also documents the pitiable livening and working conditions […]

The AHRC releases today the 15th Episode, of the Human Rights Asia Weekly Roundupwith special reports from Cambodia. In this week’s programme we bring you the following stories from across Asia; In Cambodia four persons were killed and many others wounded after police opened fire at protestors demanding an increase of the minimum wage. The AHRC […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Punjab concerning the protest by fasting held by Mr. Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, who ended his fast after 43 days, on 29 December 2013. Khalsa had commenced his protest at the Amb Singh Gurdwara on 14 November to secure the release of all Sikh prisoners that […]

Justice Priyantha R. P. Perera Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka No 165 Kynsey Road, Borella Colombo 08 Sri Lanka   FAX; +94 11 2 694924 / +94 112 696470/ +94 112 689558 Dear Justice Priyantha Perera, SRI LANKA: A request to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission to immediately call for a report from the Inspector General […]

Download the full text of the report ( PDF) (Word) In her media statement from Colombo on 31 August 2013, Dr. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, “I am deeply concerned that Sri Lanka, despite the opportunity provided by the end of the war to construct a new vibrant, all-embracing state, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the plight of tribal villagers residing in a forest village named Dhurkuch, Gram Panchayat Kota in Jawa block of district Rewa in Madhya Pradesh from Panchsheel Sewa Sansthan,a local voluntary organization. Sansthan found that there is no Public Distribution Shop (PDS) shop, earmarked […]