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The urgent appeals programme has experienced considerable growth over the last years. To ensure that individual support by UA programme subscribers will continue despite the increased issuing of urgen...

Attempts to promote Sri Lanka’s executive president as an absolute ruler continued this week through two statements (Daily News June 14, 2006) made by persons very close to the government. First...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to raise its concern about a mysterious death of a young man and the possible cover-up by his father, who is a police inspector, surroundi...

Although there are not so many supporters anymore for the President’s appointments to the courts and several commissions, in contravention of the Constitution, there are still a few apologists. ...

AHRC-OL-017-2006 June 9, 2006 Open letter to the President of Sri Lanka Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse President  Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka C/- Office of the President Temple Trees 150, Galle...

The judgment of the Court of Appeal on the application of two citizens regarding the recent appointments to the Police and Public Service Commissions by the President of Sri Lanka [CA Application 66/2...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of a boy by police personnel from the Thelikada Police Station. Ag...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following statement by the Free Media Movement (FMM) of Sri Lanka on the President’s appointments to independe...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you of a disturbing incident that took place at the Wennipuewa police station on 6 June 2006, when two human rights defenders ac...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a case involving the Homagama police. After stopping a citizen and finding a knife in his possession, Police Sergeant (PS) S...

The Asian Human Rights Commission expresses deep sadness on the occasion of the passing away of Suranjith Hewamanna in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Hewamanna was one of the bravest lawyers in the country durin...

In a recent decision, Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal refused interim relief in a case challenging recent appointments made by President Rajapakse contravening the Constitution. The court also refut...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has come to learn of a case in Sri Lanka involving the forced labour of three minors in lieu of their parent’s debt. When the parents of the thr...

The Asian Human Rights Commission has previously informed you about the controversy that started when the Executive President bypassed the constitutional provision requiring the appointments of judges...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 4, 2006 AS-131-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) SRI LANKA: Seventh day of mourning against executive interference into the judiciary and other in...

The numerous appointments to key national commissions by the executive president, contravening constitutional requirements, are a very clear indication of Sri Lanka’s drift from a law-based soci...

[RE: UP-167-2005: SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: A season’s appeal for intervention in the case of the three Sri Lankans facing death sentence; UP-43-2005: Questions remain in Sri Lanka’s willingness ...

When the Executive President made appointments to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, ignoring the constitutional requirements that the selections be made by the Constitutional Council, he clea...

A judicial system is fragile. It requires care and vigilance to ensure its efficacy and prevent destruction. It also requires a positive mindset among judges, lawyers and litigants, as well as the con...

With the subjugation of the courts to the dictates of the executive since the 1978 Constitution, Sri Lankan lawyers have been facing tremendous angst. Over the past 28 years they have endured signific...