Nepal needs compromise, The Kathmandu Post, 20 May 2010
The deadline for adoption of the constitution runs out on May 28. Since the UCPN (Maoist) called off its indefinite national strike, with notable exceptions, analyses in the Nepali media overwhelmingly suggested that the end of the strike represented a defining defeat of a now irredeemably unpopular Maoist movement. This is far from the truth. In this article, ACHR's Director urges that Nepal is unlikely to find consensus but it needs compromise.
Torture in India 2010, 13 April 2010
“Torture in India 2010” highlights that taking 2000-2001 as the base year, custodial deaths have increased by 41.66% persons under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government between 2004-2005 and 2007-2008. This includes 70.72% increase of deaths in prison custody and 12.60% increase of deaths in police custod. The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2008 was highly flawed and the government has failed to indicate that its revised version (2010) addresses the flaws to fully comply with the obligations under the UNCAT.
Press Release: 41.66% increase of custodial deaths under the UPA from 2000
OHCHR's damning silence, 11 March 2010
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is facing a crisis of its own making. In its website, it claims to “speak out objectively in the face of human rights violations worldwide”. Stunningly, it even failed to condemn the coup d’etat in Niger on 19 February 2010. The list is long and the High Commissioner must develop mechanisms to add a voice, among others, to that of the UN Secretary General.
Bangladesh: IPs Massacred for Land Grab, 23 February 2010
This report exposes the massacre of indigenous Jumma peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh for grabbing their lands. The Bangladeshi government is yet to provide access to the massacre sites where scores of indigenous Chakmas in 14 villages under Sajek Union were massacred on 19-20 February 2010. In order to prevent the truth from coming out, the Bangladesh army personnel have prevented journalists from visiting the affected areas. The police further arrested the indigenous peoples who came to obtain medical treatment for the bulltet injuries sustained in the firing by the Bangladesh army personnel.
Press Release: Bangladesh burns more tribal villages: Government asked to give access to massacre sites
ACHR Impact: Manipur directed to explain 111 fake encountersNHRC also awards Rs 5,00,000 to the next of a victim of fake encounter, 1 February 2010 |
 |
|
Acting on a complaint of Asian Centre for Human Rights against extrajudicial execution of R K Sanjaoba, the nephew of former Manipur chief minister R K Joychandra, on 28 January 2010, the National Human Rights Commission of India directed State government of Manipur to explain 111 cases of fake encounters not reported to it. The NHRC also awarded Rs 5,00,000/- to the next kin of deceased Sanjaoba |
 News coverage:
|
Essex Human Rights Review, University of Essex
'Lessons Learned from the ACHR's National Campaign for Prevention of Torture in India', February 2010
In its Special Issue (Second Part) on "Preventing Torture in the 21st Century", Essex Human Rights Review published the ‘lessons learned’ from the work of Asian Centre for Human Rights for combating torture in India as a part of its National Campaign for Prevention of Torture. ACHR shares its myriad experiences including on lobbying for ratification of the UNCAT, obtaining compensation and justice for the victims and engaging with the National Human Rights Commission of India.
Enforce the law in North-East, 19 August 2009
The pictures exposed by The Tehelka magazine establish beyond any reasonable doubt that Chungkham Sanjit was shot dead in cold blood on July 23, 2009, by the Manipur police commandos. Yet, the state government failed to take any measure that would assuage pent-up public sentiment against widespread and systematic extrajudicial executions in Manipur..... If the law is allowed to take its own course, human rights violations will significantly reduce and this will win the hearts and minds of the people.
ASEAN's new human rights body:
A threat to human rights in the region? 28 July 2009
On 20th July 2009, Foreign Ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Phuket, Thailand. On the same day, ASEAN adopted the Terms of Reference (ToR) for a new ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). In this paper, ACHR analyses the ToR of the AICHR and opines that the new body may actually pose serious threats to human rights in the region.
Prevention and Punishment of Torture Bill 2009
This report submitted to the Members of Parliament analyses the inadequacies of the "Prevention of Torture Bill, 2008" as drafted by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India in order to “ratify the UN Convention Against Torture and to provide for more effective implementation.” It also provides the "Prevention and Punishment of Torture Bill, 2009" as adopted by the “National Conference on the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2008” held in New Delhi on 24-25 June 2009.
ACHR's Actions Against Torture and other forms of Human Rights Violations in India
2 July 2009In this publication, ACHR shares experiences of its action which led to the award Rs 50.3 lakhs compensation, punishment and censure for 35 law enforcement personnel and orders of the Honourable Delhi High Court in favour of ACHR pertaining to the cases filed against the NHRC.
India Human Rights Report 2009
ACHR in Indian Parliament in 2008
South Asia Human Rights Index 2008
1 August 2008