Human Rights Correspondence School

This lesson introduces the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, which came into force in June 2006. The Protocol requires countries to establish national mechanisms to visit places of detention. In this way, the Protocol is a preventive approach towards eliminating torture.

This lesson series introduces the concept of constitutionalism and discusses its relationship to human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

This lesson introduces the new International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The crime of forced disappearance is widespread throughout Asia. Impunity of state officials encourages the perpetuation of disappearances and other abuse, and also prevents victims and their families from obtaining redress.

This lesson series discusses victim and witness protection as a concept and notes its absence in the majority of Asian countries. Witness protection is particularly important for a country's justice system, which is also discussed.

The International Criminal Court is considered to be the most significant development in international relations after the creation of the United Nations. This is because it is the first permanent court with the authority to try perpetrators of grave crimes, no matter their official status. In this way, the Court is an attempt to end impunity for perpetrators and to genuinely provide justice to the affected victims and communities.

This lesson discusses the doctrine of command responsibility with regard to the police in Asia.Using cases studies from several countries, the lesson outlines the relationship between the impunity enjoyed by law enforcement officers and the absence of command responsibility within law enforcement agencies.

This lesson introduces the concept of comprehensive documentation, which is essential to effective human rights campaigning and promoting social change.

This lesson discusses the importance of the judiciary for the realization of human rights. The experiences of numerous Asian countries with regards to judicial independence and the rule of law are studied. International standards regarding the conduct of the judiciary are provided as appendices.

The role of the prosecution is to ensure that rule of law is upheld. To carry out this role, they should enjoy institutional independence and effective power. In most countries of Asia however, this is not the case: prosecutors have little power and usually work under the influence of the police and others.

In many countries throughout Asia, the police are said to be the greatest obstacle to effective rule of law and the worst violators of human rights.