The Bangladesh Judiciary has contributed to the recurrence of enforced disappearances by abdicating its constitutional authority and responsibility to guarantee the right to life and personal liberty of persons.
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The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) works towards the radical rethinking & fundamental redesigning of justice institutions in Asia, to ensure relief and redress for victims of human rights violations, as per Common Article 2 of the International Conventions. Sister organisation to the Asian Human Rights Commission, the ALRC is based in Hong Kong & holds general consultative status with the Economic & Social Council of the United Nations.
INDONESIA: Lack of justice and reparations strengthens impunity and encourages recurring violations
It is tragic that the circumstances of human rights abuse victims in Indonesia are totally different to that of the alleged perpetrators. The perpetrators have never been brought to court and are enjoying transitional democracy by establishing political parties and running for elections.
INDIA: Ensure no submergence without complete rehabilitation of Sardar Sarovar Dam affected
Increasing the height of the dam in these circumstances will endanger the survival of around 40,000 families still awaiting alternative land, livelihood, and housing at resettlement sites.
BANGLADESH: Government repression and intimidation of families of victims of enforced disappearance
In areas outside Dhaka, other commemorations were also met with threats and police deployment. However, with the support of local civil society activists, the families of the disappeared went ahead with the events, and commemorations were successfully held in Khulna, Rajshahi, and Rajbari district among others.
BANGLADESH: Government must ensure justice for enforced disappearances
Human rights defenders also face particular challenges when taking up cases of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. They are subjected to intimidation and threats, including surveillance and harassment by State intelligence services, law-enforcement agencies, and political cadres of the ruling party.
INDIA: Invitation to Parallel Event at the UN Human Rights Council
The purpose of screening the documentary at the UN is to encourage women across the world facing similar situations to find means to recover from trauma, to build a solidarity network of women survivors to work towards ending such violence, and to encourage them to seek legitimate justice processes to redress grievances, as the EEVFAM has sought to do in India.
BANGLADESH: Torture victims demand justice
Torture victims Babul Akhtar and Junayed Hossain Leon shared their painful experiences of sustaining torture by law-enforcement agencies while in detention. Wife and daughter of Mr. Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a civil society activist, who remains arbitrarily detained, and has been tortured in custody, shared their dreadful experiences regarding the excruciating law-enforcement system in Bangladesh.
ASIA: Council should lead reforms of judicial institutions to realise rights
The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and Franciscans International wish to bring to the immediate attention of this council that the judges, prosecutors, and lawyers in Asia face acute forms of suppression of their freedom to engage in their profession independently. Perhaps Hong Kong, South Korea, India, and Japan are exception to this general category.
SOUTH ASIA: Domestic justice system requires reform to address extrajudicial executions
The fight against extremism and crime are the excuses the governments in India and Pakistan often cite for resorting to extrajudicial executions. Harsh legislations, like the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which is implemented in several regions of India, provide statutory impunity for extrajudicial executions, better known as “encounter killings” in South Asia.
ASIA: Freedoms of Expression, Opinion, Assembly, and Association being curtailed in Asia
The government is also curtailing the freedom of peaceful assembly and association of civil society organisations and the political opposition. There is a tangible fear that, in the absence of space for liberal voices, radical groups will proliferate.