Right to remedy

The observations made by the Supreme Court of India in a case concerning disciplinary action against a former Major of the Indian Army contradict the Court’s own profile. Dismissing the appeal filed by the Major, who had filed the appeal aggrieved by the Army’s action against him, the court held that discipline is paramount in […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AHRC-STM-104-2012 May 17, 2012 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDIA: Institutional peril and murderous politics The assassination of Mr. T. P. Chandrashekharan in Kerala on 4 May is another example of the murderous nature of politics in India. The police investigation has revealed that hired assassins executed the murder. […]

Thai The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to express our grief and extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Amphon Tangnoppakul, who was found dead in prison custody on 8 May 2012. Amphon (also known to his family as “Ah Kong” or “grandfather,” and to the public at “Uncle SMS”), a 61-year-old man, […]

English 9 พฤษภาคม 2555 แถลงการณ์จากคณะกรรมาธิการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งเอเชีย คณะกรรมาธิการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งเอเชีย (Asian Human Rights Commission: AHRC) ขอแสดงความเสียใจอย่างสุดซึ้งต่อครอบครัวของ นายอำพล ตั้งนพกุล ซึ่งเสียชีวิตระหว่างอยู่ในเรือนจำ เมื่อวันที่ 8 พฤษภาคม 2555 นายอำพล (หรือที่เรียกในครอบครัวว่า “อากง” และคนทั่วไปรู้จักว่า “อากง SMS”) อายุ 61 ปี ถูกศาลตัดสินจำคุกเป็นเวลา 20 ปี เมื่อวันที่ 23 พฤศจิกายน 2554 ในคดีดำหมายเลขที่ 311/2554 ศาลอาญาลงโทษเขาตามความผิดสี่กระทงที่มีต่อมาตรา 112 ประมวลกฎหมายอาญา และพระราชบัญญัติว่าด้วยการกระทำผิดเกี่ยวกับคอมพิวเตอร์ พ.ศ. 2550 เนื่องจากถูกกล่าวหาว่า ส่งข้อความสั้นทางโทรศัพท์มือถือสี่ฉบับ ไปให้กับ นายสมเกียรติ ครองวัฒนสุข เลขานุการส่วนตัวนายอภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ อดีตนายกรัฐมนตรี ข้อความสั้นทางโทรศัพท์มือถือทั้งสี่ฉบับ มีเนื้อหาดูหมิ่นพระราชินีและถือเป็นการหมิ่นพระบรมเดชานุภาพ คณะกรรมาธิการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งเอเชียเคยตั้งข้อสังเกตเมื่อครั้งที่มีการตัดสินลงโทษนายอำพลแล้วว่า (AHRC-STM-180-2011) […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned about the arbitrary detention of five persons, including a minor, in Nueva Ecija province. The victims were illegally arrested, laid with criminal charges based on evidence taken from a search conducted under questionable circumstances. The charges have no real evidence to support the prosecution […]

The attempt by the Supreme Court of India to draw-up operative principles for the media outlining the contours of Article 19 (1) (a) of the constitution is an exercise that the Court should not venture into. In fact, the Court does not have a constitutional mandate to do so. It is within the realm of […]

Reading the speech of the prime minister and that of the home minister of India, one could easily get carried away by the thought that they are not in fact referring to India, but to some other country in the world. Both ministers were addressing the chief ministers of the country in a conference organised […]

Referring to the reactions of the government of West Bengal to demands of public causes and justice under the leadership of Ms. Mamata Banerjee, as paranoid, would be in fact an understatement. The state government led by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) that was elected to power – reflecting the people’s wish for change, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward you the following statement from the mother of Premakumar Gunarathnam and his sister. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong —————————– A statement from the mother of Premakumar Gunarathnam and his sister, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Earlier, we reported about the abduction of […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the recent ruthless, barbaric, and torturous murder of Mr Abdul Qudoos Ahmad, a school teacher, Ahmadi religious group of Islam. The AHRC calls on the Pakistan government to immediately bring the perpetrators to justice. The level of ruthless barbarity seen in this murder is unacceptable and seldom. It […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward you the following statement from the movement for people’s struggle and the Frontline Socialist party. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong —————————– A statement from the movement for people’s struggle and the Frontline Socialist party forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) This […]

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa  Directions and instructions are determinations of action which have an influence upon a number of minor circumstances too numerous and unimportant for general laws. — Carl von Clausewitz  A new chapter of politics is emerging in Sri Lanka after the UN resolution adopted at the 19th session of the UNHRC in Geneva. […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to express its concern toward the scrapping of the provision prohibiting amnesty for human rights violations in the Bills establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances. Principles along which lines the final version of the bill is to be drafted by the Ministry […]

The criminal justice system of Sri Lanka is in decline. Across the country numerous reports document that illegal arrests and detention continues to happen indiscriminately. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has issued several hundred urgent appeal cases over the past decade regarding illegal arrests and arbitrary detention in locations across the country. Most, if […]

Nilantha Ilangamuwa “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first deprives of their senses.” – Euripides The government has about an year to improve governance in terms of human rights, instead of selling racial nihilism and isolating itself from the world and the people. Next March (2013 March) the High Commissioner for Human Rights would […]

The statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, ‘explaining’ the country’s position regarding the United Nations’ resolution on promotion, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka is worth an analysis from the Indian perspective. Contrary to the misgivings widely published throughout the country, India’s affirmative vote at the UN yesterday is not a “foreign policy disaster”. […]

The successful United Nations Resolution on reconciliation and accountability should pave the way for a new period of commitment to cure the wounds of a long conflict, caused upon individuals as well as on the institutional structure of democracy and the rule of law in Sri Lanka. A responsible approach to dealing with the past […]

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa Our lives are spinning out from world to world; the shapes of things are shifting in the wind. What do we know beyond the rapture and the dread?- Stanley Kunitz* “They finished off my husband after two days of torture, and then took me to Hambantota where a number of women were […]

The value of the rupee came down to 131 for a US dollar. This is the highest point reached relating to the value of a rupee ever. In all likelihood, it will go up further even though by artificial means, it may be brought down a little now and then. Thus, the high devaluation of […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms the decision of the government, made on February 27, 2012, to recommend the withdrawal of nearly 425 criminal cases. It is now up to the judiciary to exercise due diligence over the cases under their jurisdiction, to ensure that the reasons for […]