FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-16-2015 June 12, 2015 A Written Submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDONESIA: Weak judicial system and insufficient legal aid allows for unfair trial A basic requirement in ensuring justice, fair trial is largely dependent on the state of the criminal justice system in the country, particularly the effectiveness of judges and lawyers. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to draw the attention of the UN Human Rights Council to the fact that judicial independence in Indonesia suffers. Indonesia’s Judicial Commission received as many as 1,781 complaints from the public about unfair trial between January and December 2014. In […]
Category: South East Asia
INDONESIA: Land grabbing and rights abuse occurs widely under ‘economic development’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-15-2015 June 11, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDONESIA: Land grabbing and rights abuse occurs widely under ‘economic development’ State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (IESCSR), Indonesia has a domestic law promulgating the Covenant as well as relevant provisions in its Constitution, particularly regarding ensuring an adequate standard of living for all. Nevertheless, widespread human rights violations are occurring in the area of land and natural resources. Not only are government policies detrimental to farmers, state officers are themselves involved in land grabbing and other rights abuses. While Article 33 […]
INDONESIA: Government unwilling to genuinely protect freedom of expression
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-12-2015 June 10, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDONESIA: Government unwilling to genuinely protect freedom of expression Despite the existence of constitutional and other legal provisions, protection for the right to freedom of expression remains weak in Indonesia. This is largely due to the government’s inconsistency in applying the law, as well as a lack of police regulations and policy on dealing with citizens expressing their right. At the same time, the government has also enacted some controversial regulations that can potentially be used to restrict freedom of expression: a) Law No. 7 of 2012 on […]
PHILIPPINES: Government uses law and policy to violate rights to peaceful assembly and association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-11-2015 June 09, 2015 A Joint Written Submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre and KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights – Philippines PHILIPPINES: Government uses law and policy to violate rights to peaceful assembly and association The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights – Philippines welcome the General Assembly’s Resolution (A/HRC/RES/24/5) that recognizes the “importance of the freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association,” and the role of civil society in “building peaceful, prosperous, and democratic” society. To be able to assemble freely and associate peacefully is important in having […]
INDONESIA: Right to freedom of assembly and association acknowledged, but not protected
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-08-2015 June 09, 2015 A Written Submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre INDONESIA: Right to freedom of assembly and association acknowledged, but not protected Despite Indonesia’s Law No. 9 of 1998 guaranteeing freedom of expression in public areas, the protection of the right to freedom of assembly and association in the country remains fragile. In the last three years there have been frequent brutal attacks and forced dispersing of peaceful demonstrations, film screenings, and public discussions initiated by labour, land, and environmental activists, as well as prayer meetings organized by religious groups. Citizens and activists meeting to express their political […]
PHILIPPINES: Government policy and practice defeat UN’s objective to eliminate killings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ALRC-CWS-29-06-2015 June 08, 2015 A Joint Written Submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre and KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights – Philippines PHILIPPINES: Government policy and practice defeat UN’s objective to eliminate killings The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights – Philippines (Karapatan ) welcome the General Assembly’s Resolution (A/HRC/RES/26/12) reaffirming the “need for effective action to combat and eliminate the abhorrent practice of extrajudicial” killings. The failure, if not inability, to hold the perpetrators accountable,” as the Resolution rightly pointed, “remains the main cause of the continued occurrence” of […]