ASIA: Religious violence in Asia and impunity for Somchai’s disappearance in Thailand denounced

date: March 15, 2011 document id: ALRC-COS-16-21-2011 HRC section: Item 4: General Debate An Oral Statement to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status ASIA: Religious violence in Asia and impunity for Somchai’s disappearance in Thailand denounced Thank you, The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would, at the outset, like to express its deepest sympathy and solidarity with the people of Japan. The ALRC is gravely concerned by Sri Lanka’s perilous plunge into autocracy. Increasing religious violence against minorities, as witnessed in Indonesia concerning Ahmadiyyas, and Pakistan concerning Christians and those opposing the archaic […]

SOUTH ASIA: Legislation used to punish, not protect human rights defenders in South Asia

date: March 14, 2011 document id: ALRC-COS-16-19-2011 HRC section: Item 3: General Debate An Oral Statement to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status SOUTH ASIA: Legislation used to punish, not protect human rights defenders in South Asia Thank you, The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to raise grave concerns about the increasing insecurity, threats and obstacles faced by human rights defenders in Asia. In extreme cases, defenders are being subjected to torture, disappearance or murder by State-agents, with impunity. The lack of effective legal safeguards and protection mechanisms in the region must […]

MYANMAR: Council urged to take strong, relevant action to address grave rights abuses

date: March 14, 2011 document id: ALRC-COS-16-20-2011 HRC section: Item 4: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar An Oral Statement to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status MYANMAR: Council urged to take strong, relevant action to address grave rights abuses Thank you, The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) welcomes the report and work of the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar. We deplore the authorities’ ongoing, unjustifiable obstruction of a country visit since February 2010. The ALRC continues to document numerous cases of arbitrary detention, torture, forced disappearance, and the demented use of […]

ASIA: Large numbers of disappearances not addressed despite efforts of UN Working Group

date: March 08, 2011 document id: ALRC-COS-16-18-2011 HRC section: item 3, interactive dialogue with the Working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances An Oral Statement to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status ASIA: Large numbers of disappearances not addressed despite efforts of UN Working Group The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) applauds the invaluable work of the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances. It also welcomes the entry into force of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The ALRC urges all Council members and observers to ratify this […]

ASIA: Torture must be eradicated as part of Pakistan’s “new dawn”

date: March 07, 2011 document id: ALRC-COS-16-17-2011 HRC section: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture An Oral Statement to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status ASIA: Torture must be eradicated as part of Pakistan’s “new dawn” The ALRC welcomes the work and report of the Special Rapporteur on torture. In North Africa and the Middle East, revolutions are currently toppling repressive governments that have used torture and other grave abuses to control populations through fear, for decades. During the recent Special Session on Libya, Pakistan made a landmark statement […]

SOUTH ASIA: Institutional overhaul required to prevent torture in the South Asian sub-region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 4, 2011 ALRC-CWS-16-15-2011 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixteenth session, Agenda Item 3, Interactive Dialogue with the SR on Torture A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status SOUTH ASIA: Institutional overhaul required to prevent torture in the South Asian sub-region In the South Asian sub region, the widespread use of torture remains the central deficit for the realisation of a rule of law framework. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) has documented hundreds of cases of torture that show that torture is not merely practiced as a crude tool for criminal investigation in countries […]

SAUDI ARABIA: Denial of fair trial

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 3, 2011 ALRC-CWS-16-14-2011 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixteenth session, Agenda Item 4, General Debate A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status SAUDI ARABIA: Denial of fair trial The right to fair trial for migrant workers who face criminal charges in countries where they have gone for employment remains an important human rights problem that merits the attention of the Human Rights Council. In this regard, particular importance needs to be given to the migrant workers employed in Saudi Arabia. This issue is well-illustrated in the case of the a 17-year-old Sri Lankan girl […]

MYANMAR: The problem of a U.N. member state disconnected from a normative framework: Myanmar and the Human Rights Council review

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2, 2011 ALRC-CWS-16-12-2011 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixteenth session, Agenda Item 4, Interactive Dialogue with the SR on Myanmar A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status MYANMAR: The problem of a U.N. member state disconnected from a normative framework: Myanmar and the Human Rights Council review 1. In a separate submission to this session of the Human Rights Council, the Asian Legal Resource Centre has analyzed how the Government of Myanmar recently treated the Universal Periodic Review process not as an opportunity for dialogue of the sort that the process envisages but as […]

SRI LANKA: Government failing to cooperate with the Human Rights Council and eradicate torture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2011 ALRC-CWS-16-11-2011 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixteenth session, Agenda Item 3, Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status SRI LANKA: Government failing to cooperate with the Human Rights Council and eradicate torture The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) is gravely concerned by the widespread and endemic use of torture in Sri Lanka and the lack of any credible action by the government, as shown by its failure to implement the many recommendations made by the United Nations (UN) human rights system, notably the Special […]

BANGLADESH: Government continues to dither instead of criminalizing torture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2011 ALRC-CWS-16-10-2011 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixteenth session, Agenda Item 3, Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status BANGLADESH: Government continues to dither instead of criminalizing torture The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) is writing to the 16th session of the Human Rights Council to recall the urgent need for the government of Bangladesh to ensure the criminalization of torture. Torture remains an endemic problem that is deeply entrenched in law-enforcement practices and investigation methodologies. The UN Human Rights Council must have the capacity […]