Right to fair trial

INDONESIA: Balikpapan City Police Officers torture a man to death in custody

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-004-2021 February 11, 2021 ——————————————————————— INDONESIA: Balikpapan City Police Officers torture a man to death in custody ISSUES: torture, extrajudicial killing, access to justice, legal aid, fair trial, impunity ——————————————————————— Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a local […]

SRI LANKA: Letter to IGP on the police failed to take proper action in the case attempted cutting of the neck and thereby committing attempted murder

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to IGP Mr. C. D. Wickramaratne Mr. C. D. Wickramaratne Inspector General of Police New Secretariat Colombo 1 SRI LANKA Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877 E-mail: igp@police.lk Dear Mr. C. D. Wickramaratne: SRI LANKA: Letter to IGP on the police failed to take proper […]

INDIA: The Bogey of Public Inconvenience to Snatch the Right To Protest

Article | India | 04-02-2021

Democracies across the world are defined by the virtue of the right to protest. Yet, in India, that fancies itself as the largest democracy of the world, the governments are seen to be chipping off that very right by raising the bogey of public inconvenience. They have mobilised people, mostly their party members, to even […]

BANGLADESH: Authoritarian repression in curbing civic space harms more than the pandemic

The Bangladesh Government continues its repressive campaigns of curtailing civic space in the country’s ever-deteriorating human rights situation. The Authorities have been using the COVID-19 pandemic as an additional excuse for encroaching on the freedoms of assembly, expression, including the freedom of the press. Bangladesh’s Law-Enforcement Agencies kept playing their predatory role in detaining the […]

NEPAL: The struggle to establish democracy

Article | Nepal | 18-01-2021

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari on December 20 sent shockwaves across the country as she approved the Cabinet’s recommendation for the dissolution of the Lower House of Parliament. The president’s move has pushed the Himalayan country deeper into the quagmire of instability even as it had been attempting to find its footing in democratic politics. […]

SRI LANKA: Four years prison term for contempt of court violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

On 12 January 2021, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka found S. V. R. P. P. A. R. L. S. Alphonsu, known also as Ranjan Ramanayake, as guilty of having committed the offence of contempt of court and sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment. The accused is presently a […]

INDONESIA: Discussion on the threat against freedom of expression and opinion of labor activities

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to inform you about the special discussion on the threat against the right to freedom of expression and opinion in Indonesia, in this case, related to labor activists. The discussion presented two speakers: Mr. Kristianto, a labor activist, and Mr. Fathkul Khoir, a human rights lawyer from the […]

INDONESIA: Two Ministers arrested in anti-graft cases, Has Law-enforcement improved?

When the Pandemic COVID 19 hit Indonesia in May 2020, Law-enforcement in Indonesia recorded a unique phenomenon. The Minister of Law and Human Rights, Mr. Yasona Laoly, released 30,000 prisoners! 1 On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, the Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights, Mr. Yasonna, issued Ministerial Decree Number M.HH-19.PK.01.04.04 of 2020, concerning the Release […]

INDONESIA: Focus Discussion and Sharing with all Commissioners of the Aceh TRC

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to inform you about focus discussion and sharing with all Commissioners of the Aceh Truth and Reconciliation (Aceh TRC). Since the Aceh TRC established four years ago, the Commission has achieved some important points. They can be described as follows: 5200 victims have been interviewed and statements have […]

INDIA: Democracy detained even as COVID is on a free run

Statement | India | 10-12-2020

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day Covid has been a tragedy for 7 billion people, for the entire world. Or, perhaps, it has not been for a few. It has rather been a godsend for illiberal governments around the world. A study by Freedom House found, the condition […]

NEPAL: The Government of Nepal has been using the Covid-19 Pandemic to Exercise Control, to Commit Human Rights Violations and to Deny Justice to Victims of Human Rights Abuses

Statement | Nepal | 09-12-2020

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of the international human rights day The Khadga Prasad (K.P.) Sharma Oli led Government has long been criticized for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal. Despite the blanket lockdown imposed on the entire country since 24 March 2020 and the end of […]

SRI LANKA: The duty to stop murder

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In Sri Lanka, the closest event prior to the human rights day on December 10th, is the killing of 11 prisoners and injuring of over 100 other prisoners in the Mahara prisons. That incident clearly speaks about the massive contradictions […]

INDONESIA: Pretrial Detention under the Criminal Law Procedure Needs Serious Reform

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In commemorating International Human Rights Day, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a regional human rights organization, wishes to convey a strong message to Indonesia concerning pre-trial detention, unfair trial, and torture. The AHRC notes that pre-trial detention under the […]

INDONESIA: Interview Regarding Progress of Local TRC in Aceh

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to inform you about an interview with the Commissioner of Aceh Truth and Reconciliation (Aceh TRC), Mr. Muhammad Daud Beureuh. Mr. Daud is also a former intern at the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in 2012. During the internship, he worked with the Indonesian Desk, he got experiences […]

INDIA: Morning knock at Anchor’s door exposes the rot in justice system

Article | India | 09-11-2020

By Avinash Pandey A morning knock at the door of one of the most popular and powerful anchors of India. A 40-member strong police team armed to teeth including AK 47 rifles. An Encounter Specialist present with the team. For the uninitiated, encounter specialists are the cops known for extrajudicial executions of criminals, mostly in […]

INDONESIA: Lecture by Mr. Basil Fernando with Indonesia Law School Students on International Law and Important of National Judiciary Reform

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to inform you about a lecture on International Law and judiciary reform in Indonesia legal system. The lecture conducted by Mr. Basil Fernando with Indonesian law students of International Law Class of the University of Bung Karno, Jakarta. In total, 37 students took part in the lecture and […]

BANGLADESH: Stop Intimidating Activists, Victims’ Families

The Bangladesh authorities should end the ongoing harassment and threats against activists, human rights defenders, and their families by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, four human rights groups said today. Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Watch, and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights condemned the government’s attacks on those exercising their right to freedom of […]

INDONESIA: Monitoring Report on the Police Dealing with Protesters against the Bill on Creation Job

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a regional human rights organization in Asia and the Federation of the Commission for the Disappearances of Victims of Violence (Federasi KontraS) would like to announce monitoring report on the situation of public protest against the bill on Creation Job. Between 6 and 8 October 2020, the AHRC and […]

INDIA: Government must release Father Stan Swamy, 83—NOW

Statement | India | 16-10-2020

India’s federal investigative agency, the National Investigative Agency (NIA), recently arrested Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit Priest, over alleged links with Maoists insurgents. The NIA had been probing him for over a year now in the Bhima Koregaon case in which violence had erupted between the Dalists and the so-called upper caste groups affiliated with […]

SRI LANKA: Murder at Pugoda Police Station- OIC has not yet been arrested

On October 11, a young man Gayan Pushpkumar, 21, was arrested by the officers of the Pugoda Police Station on mistaken identity. Initially, he was suspected of having robbed some money. However, later, the money had been found in the very house the money was supposed to be stolen from. In between the suspicion and […]