Category: Oral Statements

ASIA: Upholding Truth and Justice or Protecting Religious Freedom is impossible without capable justice institutions

34th Session - March 2017, ALRC AT THE UN, Asia, Commission on Human Rights, Oral Statements March 8, 2017March 10, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

An Oral Statement to the 34th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Clustered Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteurs on Truth Justice Reconciliation and Freedom of Religion Mr. President. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of this Council that irrespective of the international documents a state is party to, truth, justice, reparation and guarantee of non-recurrence is impossible at the domestic level, without functioning national justice institutions that are equipped, independent and willing to be the first line of defence to human rights violations. This principle, of having domestic institutions, also applies to guarantee freedom of […]

ASIA: Council needs to make itself effective in protecting rights

33rd Session - 2016 September, ALRC AT THE UN, Asia, Commission on Human Rights, Oral Statements September 21, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

An Oral Statement to the 33rd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. Vice President. The ALRC wishes to bring to the attention of this Council that the situation of human rights has become alarming in most Asian States. The institutionalised coercive methods of law-enforcement coupled with dysfunctional judicial systems and the violent political culture are contributing to the process of gross violations of human rights. Bangladesh is an ideal example where protection of rights is pretty much a joke. 296 persons have disappeared since January 2009, of which 61 are between January and August this year. This is continuing without […]

ASIA: Criminal Justice Process needs fundamental reforms to address gross human rights abuses

33rd Session - 2016 September, ALRC AT THE UN, Asia, Commission on Human Rights, Oral Statements September 17, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

An Oral Statement to the 33rd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. Vice President. The ALRC wishes to bring to the attention of this Council that with the exceptions of Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan, arbitrary arrest is the norm and by state design in Asia, and the judiciary in these countries are ineffective to prevent it. Crime investigation in Asia begins and ends with statements of the person in custody and not on the basis of evidence of guilt. To facilitate this process, the practice of arbitrary arrest is widely exercised in the region. This is because Asian […]

ASIA: OHCHR must invest in justice institution reengineering to improve human rights situations

33rd Session - 2016 September, ALRC AT THE UN, Asia, Commission on Human Rights, Oral Statements September 15, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

An Oral Statement to the 33rd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. Vice President. We thank the High Commissioner for Human Rights, for the update on the global human rights scenario, drawing upon the realities from the countries. As we meet, human rights defenders are prevented by some countries to travel to attend this august meeting, of which Mr. Khurram Parvez from India is one of the latest victims. The High Commissioner has reflected in his speech about the abuse of the process of law. In all countries in Asia, perhaps with the exception of Hong Kong, South Korea and […]

PAKISTAN: Council should help developing judicial infrastructures

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Oral Statements, Pakistan June 23, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

An Oral Statement to the 32nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. President. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) draws attention to Pakistan, where the writ of the State is unraveling and even the façade of the rule of law is vanishing. Decaying political and justice institutions are perpetuating gross abuse of human rights. Where even a whiff of justice is a distant memory, intolerant mob justice rules the streets, while a crumbling court system delivers only to those with deep pockets. Since the start of Zarb-e-Azb, the Military operation against the terrorism, extrajudicial killings have ballooned. In virtually all […]