Judicial system

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes the move of the Nepal government to form a taskforce that will draft new bills related to transitional justice. The expert team has been given 10 days to submit new drafts on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission on Enforced Disappearances (CED). A year ago, […]

“He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”-  Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables I was observing a trial in a crowded court room in Manila when, in a middle of packed bench, a public lawyer drew the attention of his client seated at the back with another accused wearing prison uniforms. He said: Photo: […]

On 26 March 2014, human rights defender Mr Nasrullah Baloch was subjected to death threats and intimidation by state security forces, following his appearance at the Supreme Court hearing regarding cases of missing persons. This follows a pattern of intimidation and threats made against the human rights defender and his family. Nasrullah Baloch is the Chairperson of Voice […]

War Against Rape (WAR), Karachi, expresses its profound sorrow and grief over the alleged abduction, rape and burning of a five-year old girl to death in Bheempura, and similarly 22 year old trainee nurse in Surjani Town, Karachi. WAR also appreciates the prompt notice taken by Mr. Ishrat Ul Ibad, Governor Sindh in the case […]

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 […]

The address by Mr. Upul Jayasuriya, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka at the Convocation on March 30, 2014 As I rise before this august assembly for the second time since my last convocation having been re-elected. As the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka It is my pride and privilege […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) appreciates India’s promise to protect and promote a pluralistic civil society. In a speech delivered in a parallel event during the 25th Human Rights Council Session, India said: “[a] pluralistic civil society complements government activities as it is often involved in local level development, advocacy, action research and social […]

Additional session judge, Chaudhry Ghulam Murtaza, sentenced a young Christian, Sawan Masih 26, to death and fined him Rs. (PKR) 200,000/= in the same prison courtroom he has been confined in since March last year. He was found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) under blasphemy law 295-C. Although judges have the option to […]

Dear friends,  We wish to share with you the following statement issued by the Intentional Commission of Jurists (ICJ)  while welcoming the just adopted third UN resolution on Sri Lanka. Asian Human Rights Commission  Hong Kong ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-FST-025-2014 March 27, 2014 A statement from the International Commission of Jurists ( ICJ) forwarded […]

We wish to share with you the following article from Prachatai website, written by Thaweeporn Kunmetha. In October 2003, Jawa Jalo, an ethnic Lahu, was captured by armed state officials during a search of a litchi farm in a northern border province. Although the officials who captured him reported to their commanders that no illicit drugs were […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to congratulate the Filipino people, notably the people of Mindanao, for the landmark signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) today. The MILF is the biggest rebel group in Mindanao. After 17 years of protracted […]

A girl recently killed herself in Kathmandu after the police dilly-dallied in helping her to find justice. The girl had been raped by her father’s business partner. Instead of acting quickly, the police delayed registering a case. Registration was done only after some pressure. The girl became psychologically fragile, but there was no one to […]

Qatar, in its desperate rush to host 2022 FIFA World Cup, has emerged as a new killing field for migrant workers mainly from South Asia. With the death toll having gone beyond 1200 already and estimated to reach a staggering high of 4000 before the first ball is kicked in the event opener, it could […]

Today, as the United Nations commemorates the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) reiterates its strong condemnation against the arbitrary arrest and detention of Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13-year old daughter and the intensifying intimidation […]

To, Representatives of all political parties of India The World’s largest democracy has plunged into the election season as the 16thLokh Sabha elections are approaching. The environment is tense. While you all are busy organizing rallies, giving speeches, proving yourself better and different from others, the media and the public are busy in speculations and […]

Acid attack is a heinous form of violence, one that has instantaneous and lifelong consequences for victims and survivors. Acid violence constitutes a perennial rights violation issue for women in several Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Cambodia. Even though acid violence occurs against men and boys, it is categorized as gender-based violence […]

According to a research, modern day trafficking, aka slavery is a $32 billion annual industry and according to the U.N. about 2.5 million people around the world are ensnared in the web of human trafficking at any given time.  The usual victims of atrocious crimes of sexual and gender based violence, including rape against women […]

We reproduce below copies of the court orders. The first order states that, as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) is conducting an investigation into the terrorist activities of the LTTE and that if the information gathered during this investigation is given to local or international persons there will be great damage […]

It is widely reported that Acts relating to national security created in various names throughout in Asia have been used, not to protect national security per se, but to oppress persons holding different ideas, or opinions, or critical of policies of the government. It is also a recognised trend that human rights defenders have been […]

Although the ethnic war between the Tamil LTTE and the Sinhalese forces of the Sri Lankan government ended in May 2009, the ethics of the conflict is still current. It is being discussed in institutions in Geneva, USA, Canada, UK, EU and many other countries. It is the ethics of the war that the international […]