Date of issue: March 17, 2015 Date of submission: March 10, 2015 Document ID: ALRC-COS-28-08-2015 Speaker: Unread for lack of time HRC Session: 28 Agenda Item No. 3 Debate Type: Interactive Dialogue An Oral Statement to the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status, and Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), a regional non-governmental institution working on and with migrants. ASIA: Intimidation and threats on human rights defenders advocating protection for rights of migrant workers Thank you Mr. Vice President, The ALRC and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants would like to draw the attention […]
Category: 28th Session – 2015 March
PAKISTAN: Government must guarantee fundamental right of freedom of religion to all
ALRC-CWS-07-007-2015 March 04, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: Government must guarantee fundamental right of freedom of religion to all 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the deteriorating state of freedom of religion, belief, and faith in Pakistan. An increasing number of minority families are being forced to flee Pakistan. Minorities, especially Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis, are being subjected to mass violence, terrorist acts, and abuse of blasphemy laws. 2. While fleeing Christians, Ahmadis, and even Shias have ended up in various states of South and […]
BANGLADESH: Freedom of expression, assembly, and human rights activism under serious threat
ALRC-CWS-28-006-2015 March 04, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre BANGLADESH: Freedom of expression, assembly, and human rights activism under serious threat 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) brings matters related to the freedom of expression and opinion, the freedom of peaceful assembly, and the freedom of human rights activism in Bangladesh to the notice of the UN Human Rights Council. The government of Bangladesh has clamped down on these fundamental freedoms to silence dissent in the country. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Bangladesh is undermining universal human rights at home against its own people and is […]
PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial
ALRC-CWS-28-004-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the supra-constitutional arrangement that has established military courts and is depriving the people of Pakistan their right to fair trial. 2. Following the gruesome massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16th December 2014, under military pressure, the government lifted the moratorium on death sentences and rapidly pushed through the 21st Constitution Amendment, establishing military courts […]
INDIA: Criminal justice reforms elementary to control violence against women
ALRC-CWS-28-003-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDIA: Criminal justice reforms elementary to control violence against women 1. After the infamous New Delhi rape case of 2012, and other cases of gender based violence subsequently reported by the media, the Government of India initiated a series of measures to curb violence against women. The government’s initiatives have, however, been limited to sensitising communities and instructing the local police to register complaints upon receipt. Amendments were made in 2013 to the Indian Penal Code 1860, The Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, The Indian Evidence Act 1872, and to The […]
BANGLADESH: Government promotes extrajudicial executions to silence political dissent
ALRC-CWS-28-002-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre BANGLADESH: Government promotes extrajudicial executions to silence political dissent 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) requests the UN Human Rights Council to pay attention to the ongoing pattern of gross human rights violations in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh is promoting extrajudicial executions and declaring impunity for the perpetrators in public amidst the political crisis that centres on peaceful and credible handover of power. 2. Bangladesh’s citizens are being forced to pay the price with blood for the country’s continuing dictatorial system, introduced in 1975 in presidential form in the […]
ASIA PACIFIC: Action required to protect human rights defenders at risk for protecting migrants’ rights
ALRC-CWS-28-001-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre ASIA PACIFIC: Action required to protect human rights defenders at risk for protecting migrants’ rights 1. The Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) and the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to draw the attention of the Human Rights Council to the increasing trend of harassment, intimidation, and threats on human rights defenders advocating for or protecting the rights of migrants in Asia and the Pacific. 2. The General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/68/181, para. 6) has “recognize the valuable work of human rights defenders” and reiterates the obligations of States to […]
PHILIPPINES: Failure to investigate and prevent widespread attacks on human rights defenders
ALRC-CWS-28-005-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PHILIPPINES: Failure to investigate and prevent widespread attacks on human rights defenders 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders (A/HRC/28/63). We take note of the Special Rapporteur’s emphasis on the importance of “preventing violations against defenders (para. 6).” In General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/68/181 para. 9), states are called upon to “exercise due diligence in preventing violations and abuses” against defenders in line with their primary responsibility to promote and protect rights. 2. The ALRC takes note of […]
PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial
ALRC-CWS-28-004-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the supra-constitutional arrangement that has established military courts and is depriving the people of Pakistan their right to fair trial. 2. Following the gruesome massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16th December 2014, under military pressure, the government lifted the moratorium on death sentences and rapidly pushed through the 21st Constitution Amendment, establishing military courts […]
INDIA: Criminal justice reforms elementary to control violence against women
ALRC-CWS-28-003-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDIA: Criminal justice reforms elementary to control violence against women 1. After the infamous New Delhi rape case of 2012, and other cases of gender based violence subsequently reported by the media, the Government of India initiated a series of measures to curb violence against women. The government’s initiatives have, however, been limited to sensitising communities and instructing the local police to register complaints upon receipt. Amendments were made in 2013 to the Indian Penal Code 1860, The Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, The Indian Evidence Act 1872, and to The […]