Military

Reports of a series of killings attributed to underworld elements have sent shockwaves amongst all Sri Lankans, whether living in Sri Lanka or outside. Almost everyone was speculating as to what these killings aimed to achieve. Some thought the killings were mainly directed towards witnesses of serious crimes being investigated, or already brought to court. […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) partner organization the Terai Human Rights Defenders (THRD) Alliance have secured information that the Nepal police have started arresting Madhesi protesters in different cases, mostly related toevents that occurred during the 5 month long protests and blockade in the southern plains. This is a systematic trend of charging with […]

This week’s episode of Just Asia focuses on Hong Kong, where the first day of the Lunar New Year saw violent clashes between protesters and police. The unrest caused shock and increased the sense of uncertainty lingering in the wake of the disappearance of five booksellers in January. The violence erupted overnight as police attempted […]

On 11 February 2016 the Thai army threatened human rights defenders for documenting the military’s continued use of torture on detainees in the country’s south. Major General Banpot Poonpien, the spokesperson for a specialist counterinsurgency agency, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), accused the human rights groups of fabricating accounts of torture to obtain funding […]

In this episode, Just Asia continues to cover critical human rights flashpoints in Asia. In Pakistan, three employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have been killed in clashes near the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, on February 3. The employees were on a countrywide protest against privatization of the national airlines. Around 30 persons have also been […]

On February 2, the Pakistan Rangers, who have been given unbridled powers by the Federal government, have taken into custody four trade union leaders. These leaders were picked up from different locations in Karachi. Since then their whereabouts are unknown. The Sindh police deny having the men in their custody; the Rangers are yet to […]

Since inception, Pakistan has been at war with its own citizens; time and again the State has indulged in gross human rights violation to muzzle voices of dissent. Ethnic Balochis have especially suffered discrimination and stigmatization, by successive military and civil governments. Due to State negligence, Baluchistan remains the least developed province even though its […]

Hong Kong, 03 February 2016 Geneva-Paris-Hong Kong, February 3, 2016. The authorities of Bangladesh should immediately release journalist Mahmudur Rahman, who completed 1,000 days in custody without trial on January 6, 2016 as part of the Government’s efforts to stifle critical voices in the country, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a […]

Personnel from the Pakistan Rangers have used brute force against unarmed protesters, causing the death of three Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees, who were out protesting against the privatisation of the State owned airlines. The dead include Zubair Ahmed, Manager HR department, Saleem Akbar, I.T Engineer, and Inayat Jafri, a senior officer.The demonstrators assembled peacefully […]

After keeping prominent Pakistan fisher folk leader and front line activist Saeed Baloch incommunicado in illegal and arbitrary detention for eight days, the Pakistan Rangers dramatically produced him in court on January 26. Earlier, the Rangers had denied that Saeed was in their custody. On 16 January 2016, Saeed Baloch was called by phone to […]

It is just over a year since the Peshawar Army Public School carnage of December 2014, where some 135 teens were killed by terrorists. The subsequent promulgation of Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP) to combat terrorism, as well as the lifting of the moratorium on death penalties, has shown no sign of decreasing terror attacks […]

In this episode of Just Asia, AHRC TV continues its coverage of the saga of the missing Hong Kong book publishers. One of the five abducted men, Gui Minhai, has turned up on Chinese State television making a “confession” for a years-old alleged drink driving offence. Gui vanished three months ago from holiday in Thailand […]

A Press Release from the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) and Legal Aid Network (LAN) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) New report exposes systematic cover-up of Myanmar Army involvement in Kachin rape-murder case A new report exposes the systematic cover-up of the Myanmar Army’s involvement in the rape-murder of two Kachin teachers […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the suicide bombing and explosion that took place in Sarinah shopping center, Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 January 2016. We express our deep condolences to the victims and the families of those who died as a result of the terrorist attack. Approximately 23 people were victims of the explosion, […]

A Statement from Front Line Defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission On 5 January 2015, the transgender human rights defender Adnan (also known as Adnany), was shot and critically wounded near the Pir Zakori Bridge in the city of Peshawar. Adnan is a transgender human rights defender and co administrator of theTransAction Page, […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two persons belonging to ethnic minority groups were killed in Bukidnon. The victims were gunned down a few meters away from each other. The perpetrators were allegedly members of the Dela Mance paramilitary group. CASE DETAILS: (Based on the documentation by […]

The world is commemorating International Human Rights Day today, 10 December 2015. However, the mood differs in Burma; the situation in the country is absolutely grim. This is despite the fact that just four weeks ago the Burmese people have finally been permitted, by the ruling military junta, to elect a popular government. The Asian […]

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. […]

Today, celebrating international human rights day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) expresses its concern about various forms of human rights violations still occurring in Indonesia, despite the Soeharto dictatorship having ended 17 years ago. Major human rights violations abound. There is impunity for past abuses, torture and fabricated cases (unfair trial), assorted violations in […]

This week world leaders met in Paris to kick off a two-week climate change summit, a meeting some say will determine the future viability of human civilisation on our planet. Just Asia looks at the implications for Asia from a human rights perspective. Next, Just Asia reports on the violent arrests of Papuans during peaceful […]