Myanmar releases 56 political prisoners on eve of regional summit
NEW DELHI -- Myanmar on Tuesday released 56 political prisoners, according to local media quoting government officials, part of a pledge to free all political detainees by the end of the year.
The prisoners, including more than a dozen from Myanmar’s northern Kachin state, were released at 11 a.m., Aung...
Burma needs transparency extracting natural resources
Burma/Myanmar has been congratulated for its transformation under the quasi-civilian government including some political and legislative reforms. Regarding such changes, wide-ranging economic sanctions are being lifted. In addition, President U Thein Sein turned out to be the first head of state of Myanmar to allow visiting the White...
Myanmar releases political prisoners from rebel group
By Shibani Mahtani and Myo Myo
Myanmar’s president on Tuesday released 56 political prisoners, authorities and activists said, mostly from ethnic rebel armies, in line with the government’s promise to release all prisoners of conscience by the end of this year.
The latest wave of prisoners released – many from the...
Cambodia: Women’s Rights Assessed by UN Committee in Geneva
Rights groups on Monday shared their concerns about the treatment of women in Cambodia with member states of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva.
Cambodia last updated the committee—which meets three times a year to assess how member states are faring with implementing...
Vietnam Lets Churches Thrive, but Keeps Control
A year ago in this poor hill-tribe village, police rounded up members of a small Catholic sect who were accused of trying to create an independent state. The leaders are in jail, followers who escaped have fled into the jungle and officers patrolling the muddy streets warn people to...
Indonesia: Community in the dark over nickel mine
A vulnerable Indonesian community has been let down by a failing legal system and international human rights mechanisms, according to a new report.
With nickel use growing at about 4 per cent every year the report reveals communities in eastern Indonesia's Halmahera Island are being economically displaced by the PT...
Indonesia: Struggle of a torture victim’s sister continues following unjust High Court’s judgments
(Hong Kong, October 08, 2013) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released the video of an interview with Yeni, a relative of Yusli who was physically assaulted and shot to death by three police officers in December 2011. Earlier in March this year, the Tangerang District Court sentenced...
Malaysia: UN human rights panel will also REVIEW how M’sia handles RELIGIOUS issues
PETALING JAYA - The many unresolved religious freedom issues in Malaysia may be raised during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights in Geneva on Oct 24.
Association for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) secretary-general Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria told theSun the lack of a strong culture for...
Indonesia: Munir supporters decry state’s ‘injustice’
The Supreme Court (MA) has cut the prison sentence handed down to Pollycarpus Budihari Prijanto, the convicted murderer of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib, from 20 years to 14 years.
Many have cried foul over the fresh verdict, saying that it was unusual that the Supreme Court should overturn...
