Right to life

SRI LANKA: The full text of the speech of former Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneswaran at the 39th Annual Convocation of BASL

Dear friends,  We wish to share with you the full text of the speech of former Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneswaran at the 39th Annual Convocation of BASL. Asian Human Rights Commission  Hong Kong ————- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-FST-017-2013 March 31, 2013 A Statement from the United Nations forwarded by the Asian Human Rights […]

BANGLADESH: UN rights experts appeal to all sides to immediately stop the ongoing violence

A Statement from the United Nations forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission GENEVA (29 March 2013) – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts today called on all parties in Bangladesh “to cease violence immediately and return to peaceful demonstrations,” after worrying levels of violence have been reported following large-scale protests across […]

Hong Kong: Press Release from The Law Society of Hong Kong concerning the Vallejos Evangeline case

The Law Society of Hong Kong notes the Court of Final Appeal (“CFA”) published its judgment (“Judgment”) in the case of Vallejos Evangeline Banao and Domingo Daniel L. v. Commissioner of Registration and Registration of Persons Tribunal (“Vallejos”) and has the following observations: 1.  Foreign Domestic Workers – Right of Abode We note the CFA […]

INDIA: Repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act of 2006 and end forced evictions

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is providing an update on the situation of the local Indigenous people of Loktak Lake and the abuses perpetrated by the Loktak Development Authority in accord with the ineffective and outdated Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act of 2006. UPDATED INFORMATION: Since 2010, The Loktak Development Authority (LDA) […]

PAKISTAN: The thirst for honour cannot be quenched unless blood is spilt

Although there is a law in Pakistan against honour killings known as the ‘Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2004’ these inhuman acts of revenge against innocent people continue to increase. The fact that the law has been amended to include honour killings shows the very real need for this inclusion, however, amending the law alone is […]

SRI LANKA: A bad, sad, mad world

“When a dog howls at the moon, we call it religion. When he barks at strangers, we call it patriotism.” — Edward Abbey Another howler has emerged from Sri Lanka. And, neither laughing nor crying will make any difference. In reply to the recent attack on Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu, by politically motivated extremists, […]

INDIA: Attacking visitors will not end discrimination in Sri Lanka

Statement | India | 18-03-2013

In two separate incidents, two Sri Lankan monks have been attacked in India. These two attacks are a continuum to previous assaults upon Sri Lankan nationals visiting India. These incidents are criminally shameless and display a despicable disregard to foreigners traveling to India. They are an affirmation of the inability of a few individuals to […]

PAKISTAN: Peoples Caravan in Islamabad on the eve of International Rivers Day

A 14-day caravan launched on March 1 at the Al-Manzar downstream Kotri, Jamshoro located at the bank of River Indus culminated at its last destination in Islamabad on March 14, 2013 to mark the  International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams. Led by PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah, Executive Director Pakistan Institute of […]

SRI LANKA: The bitter fruits of our own folly

An article from The Sunday Times forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission As family members of a murdered ruling party politician travelled to Geneva this week to lay their case for denial of justice before the United Nations Human Rights Council, the ironies are palpable, almost painful. Are we to see in coming months, […]

PAKISTAN: Killing of human rights defender Ms Perveen Rehman

A Press Release from Front Line Defenders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On 13 March 2013, human rights defender Ms Perveen Rehman was shot and killed by armed motorcyclists, close to her offices. Perveen Rehman was a social and economic rights defender, working with communities in the slums of Karachi. She was director of […]

PAKISTAN: A fighter for the poor and disenfranchised gunned down

Amir Murtaza In a tragic incident, the well-known social worker, educationist and development expert Parveen Rehman was brutally shot dead in Karachi on 13th March, 2013. She had been working vigorously for the emancipation of the poor and marginalized people in Pakistan, for more than two decades. Parveen Rehman was a very well respected teacher […]

PAKISTAN: The Country has gone Mad, No Doubt

Ms. Perveen Rehman (56), worked for the betterment of the poor and neglected When a small lady weighing hardly 60 kilograms working for the betterment of poor slum-dwellers, and amongst the under-privileged in poorer residential areas, is viewed as a dire threat to the Taliban and the local administration, the sanity of these institutions, and […]

PAKISTAN: Christian houses were burned with connivance between the government of Punjab and land grabbers

(Photo courtesy of the Daily Express) The small incident of a quarrel between three Christian and Muslim friends during a drinking session (of alcohol) turned into the ransacking, looting and burning of 180 Christian houses in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. The fighting between the friends happened on Tuesday, March 5 but after three […]

PAKISTAN: The Supreme Court must ensure that Ahmadis should not be disfranchised

A Golden Opportunity to abolish self-contradictory Franchise System and Restore true Justice and Democracy in Pakistan The world has strongly and repeatedly drawn the attention of Pakistan to its self-contradictory franchise system which denies the Ahmadi Muslims the fundamental right to vote.( Click here to read our previous statement on the issue) The Supreme Court of […]

INDIA: Ensure safety of Human Rights Defenders and punish those threatening them

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received disturbing information from Samaj Chetna Adhikar Manch, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh regarding local goons threatening to kill its activists. The organisation, working in Java block of the district, has been in the forefront of the struggle against malnutrition and the widespread corruption in welfare schemes that […]

SRI LANKA: Letter to the UNHRC in support of North and East Christian Clergy

The Office of UN Human Rights Council, Civil Society Section, Geneva. Switzerland Letter to the UNHRC in Support of North and East Christian Clergy Sri Lanka Dear Sir / Madam, We the undersigned individuals and groups vehemently support and endorse the views and demands, contained in the letter sent on 18th Feb. 2013 by 133 […]

PAKISTAN: More than ten thousand flood victim families have been denied compensation since 2007

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that more than ten thousand flood victim families have been denied approved compensation by the authorities since 2007 and are displaced without having a proper source of income. The floods of June 2007 destroyed thousands of fruit trees, acres of agriculture land and hundreds […]

INDIA: An invitation, murder, and democracy

Article | India | 05-03-2013

When a business school invites persons to attend one of its functions, that too expecting the person to deliver nothing less than the keynote address, it must be taking into account many factors. Elementary is the invitee’s credentials, and in the background of the sponsors, who contribute to organise the event. It appears that the […]

INDIA/PAKISTAN: Democracy’s Noose kept Afzal Guru hanging, till death

He had to die. Die, because a nation wanted him to, or so were we told by the Supreme Court of the nation. He had to die to satisfy the collective conscience of the nation, the court added for a good measure. So, he did die, nay, hanged till death. His body was left hanging […]

PAKISTAN: Polio, Taliban, and media

Resistance to polio vaccination has been going through a constant phase of evolution in Pakistan, and with every passing day, it goes one notch up from its previous level involving people from conservative camps to enlightened ones as well. About six months ago, Maulvi Ibrahim Chishti of Muzaffargarh’s rural Khan Pur Bagga Sher area declared […]