AMNESTY INDIA - Demand Justice in Sri Lanka Reaches 1 Million Supporters.

In August, Amnesty India launched its first major campaign in India. In just a day, more than 50,000 people from all over India called or sent an SMS to show their support and solidarity for the victims of injustice in Sri Lanka. Tomorrow, 1 November, marks the start of Sri Lanka's review before the United Nations' Human Rights Council, as it conducts its Universal Periodic Review. Today, the campaign has more than 1 million supporters.

MORE: http://act.amnesty.org.in/demand_justice_in_sri_lanka_reaches_1_million_supporters

MALDIVES - Police arrest six protesters from Kudahuvadhoo during President’s visit.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the arrest of six protesters from Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaal Atoll during President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s visit to the island on Sunday.

In a press release last night, the former ruling party condemned “in the harshest terms” the arrest of “participants of a peaceful protest” against Dr Waheed’s government and called for their “immediate release”.

Police made the arrests “brutally and with no prior warning,” the MDP statement alleged.

MORE:  http://minivannews.com/politics/police-arrest-six-protesters-on-kudahuvadhoo-during-presidents-visit-to-island-46291

MALDIVES - MDP MP submits resolution to form commission to investigate torture.

Parliament on Monday began preliminary debate on a resolution submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed ‘Kubey’ to form an independent commission with foreign judges to investigate torture and custodial abuse during the 30-year rule of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

In a preliminary statement in July following an appraisal of the Maldives’ compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) expressed “grave concern” about the lack of investigations and redress for cases of torture, which it noted was “systematic and systemic.”

The UN treaty body urged the Maldives to set up an independent Commission of Inquiry to conduct criminal investigations and ensure compensation for all victims of torture.

Article 7 of the ICCPR, which the Maldives acceded to in 2006, states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

MORE: http://minivannews.com/politics/mdp-mp-submits-resolution-to-form-commission-to-investigate-torture-45942

India: Still a ‘lawless law’: Detentions under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.

In March 2011, Amnesty International published a report which documented the various ways in which the use of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 (PSA) violated international human rights law. This new briefing reviews the impact of the PSA on the human rights of individuals since the publication of that report. It finds that despite legal and policy developments, Amnesty International’s key human rights concerns with the PSA and its application remain unchanged: the PSA is still a ‘lawless law’.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA20/035/2012/en

Afghanistan: Urgent assistance needed to avoid deaths among displaced during cold.

Urgent steps are needed if Afghanistan is to avoid a repeat of the deaths among children and adults in the country’s displacement camps that occurred during last year’s bitterly cold winter conditions, a coalition of 30 NGOs including Amnesty International said.

The 2011/12 winter was unusually cold in Afghanistan, and more than a 100 people, mostly children, died in refugee camps from the cold or illness.

In an open letter to the UN, the Afghan government and international donors, Amnesty International, the Norwegian Refugee Council and 28 other NGOs, called for the immediate launch of a winter assistance campaign to safeguard the lives of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDP).

“What happened last year was a preventable tragedy, and should act as a sharp reminder that emergency assistance must be provided immediately before the winter arrives,” said Polly Truscott, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Programme, who is currently in Kabul to discuss the IDP situation with the Afghan government and the donor community.

“Afghanistan and the international community should remember that taking steps to safeguard lives in these camps is an obligation under international law.”

With conflict and insecurity rising in Afghanistan, the country’s displaced population has reached a record half a million according to the UNHCR, though the actual number is likely to be much higher.

The Afghan government has started to develop a welcome national IDP policy after last year’s crisis, and requested international support to finalise and implement this policy.

“The drafting of the new IDP policy is a positive step that shows a commitment to address the vulnerable situation of those displaced, but such policies take time to design and money to implement. What is needed now is urgent action,” said Truscott.

The organizations pointed out that the 2011 budget of only US$6 million for Afghanistan’s Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation was not enough to address even the most basic assistance and protection needs. Furthermore, the international humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan had only been 34 per cent funded, while the Emergency Response Fund was also depleted.

 “The uncertainty among many Afghan people over the draw down of international forces and the political, security, social and economic impact of transition is likely to trigger further internal displacement, particularly if security conditions do not improve in the short-term,” said Truscott.

“The protection concerns of IDPs must be addressed as a matter of urgency, as transition gathers pace.”

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/afghanistan-urgent-assistance-needed-avoid-deaths-among-displaced-during-cold-2012-10-19

Amnesty India - Abuses associated with mining.

G. Ananthapadmanabhan, Chief Executive of Amnesty International, discusses the rights abuses associated with mining, especially coal mining, in India:

http://amnestyindia.tumblr.com/post/33835094639/g-ananthapadmanabhan-chief-executive-of-amnesty

Maldives: Police violence as ex-president is arrested.

Police in the Maldives used excessive force when arresting former President Mohamad Nasheed on Monday, said Amnesty International.

Nasheed was arrested in Fares-Maathoda in southern Maldives this morning for allegedly ignoring a court summons. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that during the arrest police vandalised the house where Nasheed was staying, and then attacked supporters peacefully protesting outside including former foreign minister Ahmed Naseem who was kicked and pepper sprayed in the face.

“We are deeply concerned about the reports of some police using violence around Mohamad Nasheed’s arrest, despite neither him nor his supporters offering any resistance,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Maldives.

Nasheed is to stand trial for the alleged arrest of a judge, Abdulla Mohamed, during his presidency. While it is positive the Maldivian authorities are investigating the case, Amnesty International is concerned that the current authorities are turning a blind eye to human rights violations during the presidencies of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978-2008) and Mohamed Waheed (since February 2012).

“Investigations into past abuses are always welcome. However, accountability must not be selective – all authorities including former presidents should be held accountable for human rights violations. The focus on human rights violations during only Nasheed’s presidency appears politically motivated,” said Faiz.

Amnesty International has repeatedly raised concerns about police brutality against peaceful protesters this year under the new goverment. Not a single person has been held accountable for these violations. 

During the presidency of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his political opponents were routinely arbitrarily arrested and tortured. His government was able for the most part to evade accountability for the many human rights violations during his time.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/maldives-police-violence-ex-president-arrested-2012-10-08

Pakistan: proteggere le attiviste per i diritti delle donne!

L'attentato alla vita della quattordicenne attivista per i diritti umani, Malala Yusufzai, mette in evidenza l'ambiente estremamente pericoloso con cui devono fare i conti i difensori dei diritti umani nel nordovest del Pakistan. In particolare, le attiviste vivono sotto la costante minaccia di subire attacchi dei talebani e di altri gruppi armati. Negli ultimi 12 mesi almeno due attiviste impegnate nel settore dell'istruzione per le donne, Farida Afridi e Zarteef Afridi, sono state uccise in un'ondata di attacchi mirati da parte dei talebani e di altri gruppi della regione.

Chiedi al primo ministro del Pakistan di garantire l'incolumità dei difensori dei diritti umani, in particolare delle attiviste nel nordovest del Pakistan. Alle attiviste deve essere garantita una protezione adeguata, affinché possano portare avanti il loro lavoro senza il timore di subire attacchi.

FIRMA L'APPELLO DI AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL:
http://www.amnesty.it/pakistan-proteggere-diritti-donne

MALDIVES - Religious NGO plans Male’ protest in support of death penalty.

Religious NGO “Muslimunge Gulhun” yesterday told local media that it is organising a demonstration calling on the state to implement and enact the death penalty.

The demonstration, to be called ‘Thanfeez’ – translated as “implement – is scheduled to be held at 4:oopm on Friday (October 19) at the Artificial Beach area of Male’.

The demonstration will mainly focus on advocating for the death penalty, which organisers believe will to bring an end to murders occurring in the Maldives, according to a press briefing held at Muslimunge Gulhun head office. The NGO further stated that the demonstrations would also be used to advocate for the penalties of other crimes to be aligned with Islamic Sharia.

MORE: http://minivannews.com/politics/religious-ngo-plans-male-protest-in-support-of-death-penalty-45365

PAKISTAN - Action for Malala Yusufzai.

The attempt on the life of 14-year Pakistani human rights activist, Malala Yusufzai, highlights the extremely dangerous climate human rights defenders face in northwest Pakistan, where female activists in particular live under constant threats from the Taliban and other armed groups. In the last

twelve months at least two activists working on women’s education, Farida Afridi and Zarteef Afridi, were killed in a wave of targeted attacks by the Taliban and other groups in the region.

Call on the Prime Minister of Pakistan to ensure that human rights defenders, particularly women activists in northwest Pakistan, receive the necessary protection to carry out their work without fear of attack.

Action:

Dear Prime Minister Raja Pervez

The shock in Pakistan and globally over the attack on Malala Yusufzai and her two classmates demonstrates that people of all walks of life and from all over the world recognise the universal right of women and girls to education and the same opportunities as men and boys.

Malala Yusufzai has campaigned for girls’ access to education in her region since she was 11 years old, and her father continues to run one of the few girls’ schools in the Swat valley despite constant threats from the Taliban. Malala’s and her family’s courage and strength are an inspiration to us all.

The attack on Malala highlights the extreme dangers faced by human rights activists in northwest Pakistan. Women’s rights activists in particular live under constant threats from the Taliban, other armed groups as well as some religious groups. We are deeply alarmed by the Taliban’s statement that Malala’s life would not be spared if she survived the attack.

The Pakistan government must also acknowledge that the threat faced by human rights defenders comes not just from the Taliban but others in the society who seek to justify their abuses as defence of religious sentiments. These elements are emboldened when the state fails to bring perpetrators of attacks on activists to justice.

We call on you to:

- Bring the perpetrators of this brutal attack, and other attacks on human rights defenders, to justice. Suspects must be tried in fair procedures and without resort to the death penalty, while sending a clear message that perpetrators of abuses are not above the rule of law;

- Publicly affirm support for human rights defenders and their right to carry out their work free from threats, attacks and intimidation;

- Ensure protection to Malala and her family, classmates and other activists whom the Taliban have reiterated they will continue to attack;

- Urgently make all the legal and policy reforms necessary to address the threats faced by activists working on women’s rights across Pakistan to safeguard their vital work, in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders of 1998.

Targets and addresses:

His Excellency Raja Pervez Ashraf
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
Pakistan

Fax: + 92 51 9221596
E-mail: pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk or nsethi@pmsectt.gov.pk

His Excellency Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President's Secretariat
Islamabad
Pakistan

Fax: +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk

Mr. Amir Haider Hoti
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chief Minister House
Peshawar
Pakistan

Email: info@khyberpakhtunkhwa.gov.pk


da Segreariato Internazionale

PAKISTAN - Decine di arresti per l'attentato a Malala.

La quattordicenne attivista e pacifista è ancora ricoverata in condizioni critiche: le prossime 48 ore ritenute cruciali dai medici. Taglia di 66mila euro sugli attentatori, retata nella zona dell'attacco. E il portavoce dei guerriglieri fondamentalisti spiega la dinamica: "Due uomini scelti dopo un lungo periodo a spiare i suoi movimenti"

 
Studentesse pachistane pregano per la salute di Malala (ap)

Il Pakistan osserva oggi una Youm-e-Dua (Giornata di preghiera) dedicata al rapido ristabilimento di Malala Yousafzai, la ragazza pachistana di 14 anni attivista per i diritti umani ferita dai talebani martedi scorso nella Valle dello Swat ¹. Alle 12, indica GEO Tv, in tutto il paese è anche stato osservato un minuto di silenzio. La ragazzina vittima dell'attentato si sta rapidamente trasformando in un'icona globale, giocando forse contro l'obiettivo terroristico dei talebani. Emerge in queste ore il quadro in cui è maturato l'attentato, con dettagli che indicano come l'attivismo pacifista della ragazzina fosse diventato talmente scomodo da giustificare vertici, strategie, piani d'attacco degni della guerriglia contro un esercito di armati.

LEGGI: http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2012/10/12/news/malala_arresti-44393857/?ref=HREC2-9

PAKISTAN - The Girl On The Schoolbus.

Pakistanis protest against the assassination attempt on Malala Yousafzai in Islamabad on October 11, 2012.© AFP/GettyImages

Malala Yousufzai got on the bus on Tuesday morning to go to school. With her, were two of her school friends, also bound for Mingora, the largest town in Pakistan’s Swat District, where their school is located. It was an ill-fated journey. Before the girls could get to school that morning, Tehreek-e-Taliban gunmen accosted the bus.

One of the girls, Shazia Razaman confirmed that they were specifically looking for Malala. She was easy to find, and when they did find her, they shot her in the head. Hours, later as Pakistanis and the world, watched, aghast and stunned at yet another act of inhumane violence, the spokesperson for the Tehreek-e-Taliban, specifically took responsibility for the attack saying:

“She is a Western-minded girl. She always speaks against us. We will target anyone who speaks against the Taliban.”

Malala Yousafzai had been a marked girl since she was only eleven. In 2007, when the Tehreek-e-Taliban overtook the hill district of Swat, a picturesque town that used to attract tourists from around the country, she had kept an Urdu diary for the BBC of life under the Pakistani Taliban. The diary detailed her frustrations with the Taliban’s edict to shut down all girls schools; each word of it conveying the helplessness of a girl eager for an education being thwarted by religious extremism and political forces beyond her control.

The Pakistani security forces retook the District of Swat from the Tehreek-e-Taliban in May 2009 and after several months of follow up operations, schools were finally opened. Malala Yousufzai was ready to go and for her courage the Government of Pakistan honored her with a National Peace Award.

Now she lies in a hospital bed fighting for her life.  The attack on Malala comes in the footsteps of escalating violence against women and minorities led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban, Pakistan.  In recent months, scores of schools have been bombed, including a school in the towns of Mohmand, Bannu, Charsadda and most recently Nowshera.

The attacks are not the only evidence of the Taliban’s orchestrated plan to remove women, especially outspoken and activist women from the public sphere. On July 4, 2012, Farida Afridi a 25-year-old activist who led an organization that informed women about their rights was similarly killed in broad daylight for her work in helping women in her region. She had received many threats in the past, refusing the Taliban’s premise that being a devout and believing Muslim woman required sequestering herself in the private sphere.  Two weeks before Farida’s death, the Pakistani singer Ghazala Javed, who was also from Swat and who sang in the native Pashto language of the region was also killed late in the night while traveling with her father in the region.

Together, the attack on Malala Yousufzai, the orchestrated and continuing bombings of schools, the murders of Farida Afridi and Ghazala Javed represent the forced eviction of women from the Pakistani public sphere. While the world pays attention only to the most grisly of the Taliban’s barbaric attacks; Pakistanis are becoming weary of the staple of fear, intimidation and brute violence being forced down their throats by a group whose definition of piety has reduced Islam to only what is visibly anti-Western.

As the world, now watches the slow progress of a young girl who was brave enough to refuse to bow to the sinister threats of the Taliban, hundreds of thousands of schoolgirls in Pakistan watch in thrall as their future and their desires to go to school stand in the balance.  Malala’s words can give them strength:

“I have rights.  I have the right of education.  I have the right to play.  I have the right to sing.  I have the right to talk.  I have the right to go to market.  I have the right to speak up.”

 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/the-girl-on-the-schoolbus/#more-31321

Nepal: Promotion of War Crimes Suspect Affront to Justice.

AI Nepal Activities

Nepal: Promotion of War Crimes Suspect Affront to Justice

The Nepali cabinet’s decision on October 4, 2012, to promote a colonel suspected of involvement in war crimes to the rank of brigadier general is a slap in the face for the victims of Nepal’s protracted civil war, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists said in a joint press release on 6 October, 2012. 

The United Nations and the Nepali National Human Rights Commission compiled credible evidence of systematic enforced disappearances and torture at Bhairabnath Battalion headquarters in Kathmandu under the command of the colonel, Raju Basnet, in 2003. On the basis of this evidence, in 2007 Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered an independent investigation and prosecution of these human rights violations. That order includes allegations that Basnet personally committed acts of torture.

“Nepal’s cabinet has thrown the entire idea of holding soldiers accountable for abuses out the door,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “This cynical and reprehensible decision seriously undermines respect for human rights and contradicts Nepal’s assurances to the international community that it would hold those implicated in wartime crimes to account.”

“Despite years of promises, the Maoists and the army have shown themselves united in one crucial aspect: contempt for the notion of accountability for criminal acts and victims’ rights to justice, truth, and reparation,” said Polly Truscott, Amnesty International’s South Asia director.

“With the promotion of Basnet, the denial of justice and accountability has essentially turned into government policy,” said Sam Zarifi, Asia director at the International Commission of Jurists. “This decision is basically the current Nepali government saying it does not care about the rule of law, does not care about its own Supreme Court directives, and indeed, does not care about the best interests of its own citizens. This promotion is a signal to all perpetrators that power trumps justice.”

In joint press release, the rights groups called on the international community to urge the Nepali government to revoke its decision. “Nepali civil society, with support from the UN and the international community, has spent years seeking to promote justice and accountability,” Adams said. “By promoting Col. Basnet, the government has sent a clear signal to the Nepali people and the country’s international supporters that it not committed to these same goals.”

http://www.amnestynepal.org/campaigns/ai-nepal-activities/nepal:-promotion-of-war-crimes-suspect-affront-to-justice.html

MALDIVES - Waheed government submits bill to facilitate death penalty.

The government has announced its intention to introduce a bill to the People’s Majlis in order to guide and govern the implementation of the death penalty in the country.

“It is currently a punishment passed by the judiciary and a form of punishment available within the penal system of the Maldives,” said Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.

“But for full guidance and matters governing the matter, legislation is required,” he added.

A meeting of the cabinet yesterday strongly condemned last week’s murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali and urged President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to start taking immediate measures to ensure safety and security in the country.

President’s Office spokesman Masood Imad said that the government had received a large number of calls for implementing the death penalty.

“We are having enormous pressure since these high profile murders,” he said. “We have indications – the talk around the town – that there will be more murders.”

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has this week proposed a no-confidence motion against the home minister, citing the unprecedented instances of murder and assault in the country since he assumed office in February.

Afrasheem’s murder was the 10th in the small country this year, sparking much debate on the death penalty.

Following the murder of high profile lawyer Ahmed Najeeb on July 1, two people were sentenced to death after Najeeb’s heirs opted for qisas (equal retaliation) rather than blood money.

Public outcry over Najeeb’s murder prompted Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz to declare that full enforcement of the courts’ rulings is necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the judiciary.

A case was submitted to the High Court in August, requesting that it annul the President’s ability to commute death sentences to 25 years imprisonment, provided in the Clemency Act.

Similarly, in April Ahmed Mahloof – parliamentary group member from the government-aligned Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) – proposed an amendment to the Clemency Act to ensure that the enforcement of the death penalty be mandatory in the event it was upheld by the Supreme Court.

In a comment piece written for Haveeru following Najeeb’s murder, however, Special Advisor to the President Dr Hassan Saeed warned that implementing the death penalty could be both arbitrary and prohibitively expensive.

MORE: http://minivannews.com/politics/waheed-government-submits-bill-to-facilitate-death-penalty-45194

Bangladesh: Tanneries Harm Workers, Poison Communities.

Workers in many leather tanneries in the Hazaribagh neighborhood of Dhaka, the Bangladesh capital,  including children as young as 11, become ill because of exposure to hazardous chemicals and are injured in horrific workplace accidents, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The tanneries, which export hundreds of millions of dollars in leather for luxury goods throughout the world, spew pollutants into surrounding communities.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/08/bangladesh-tanneries-harm-workers-poison-communities

INDIA - Hospital for Bhopal victims now in complete shambles.

• Survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy have begun a series of protests against the apathy of the administration towards the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre built specifically after the gas leak tragedy in 1984 that killed hundreds of people and maimed countless others.
  
  http://www.firstpost.com/india/hospital-for-bhopal-victims-now-in-complete-shambles-activists-485528.html 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Pakistan: i talebani attaccano e feriscono un'attivista di 14 anni.

(9 ottobre 2012)

Amnesty International ha definito un terribile atto di violenza l'attacco, rivendicato dai talebani del Pakistan, contro Malala Youzufzai, una ragazza di 14 anni che si batte per il diritto all'istruzione.

Malala Youzufzai è stata ferita da due colpi di arma da fuoco il 9 ottobre, mentre tornava da scuola nella città di Mingora. Prima di colpirla, uno degli aggressori l'avrebbe chiamata per nome, facendola girare. Dall'età di 11 anni, si batte per il diritto delle bambine all'istruzione. Suo padre è uno dei pochi presidi che continua a sfidare il divieto di andare a scuola per le bambine, imposto dai talebani della valle di Swat.

Questo nuovo, gravissimo atto di violenza è l'ennesima prova del clima di pericolo in cui operano  gli attivisti, e soprattutto, le attiviste per i diritti umani nel Pakistan nord-occidentale, costantemente minacciate dai talebani e da altri gruppi armati.

Negli ultimi 20 mesi sono state uccise almeno altre due attiviste per il diritto all'istruzione delle donne, Farida Afridi e Zarteef Afridi.

Amnesty International ha sollecitato il governo pachistano a garantire che Malala Youzufzai, attualmente ricoverata in ospedale, sia protetta adeguatamente e che ragazzi e ragazze abbiano le stesse opportunità educative nonostante le minacce portate dai talebani e dagli altri gruppi armati.

http://www.amnesty.it/news/pakistan-talebani-attaccano-e-feriscono-un-attivista-di-14-anni

PAKISTAN - End enforced disappearances.

"For us relief is only when our loved one is safe and sound standing freed before us. [...] I believe that my husband Masood is held only three kilometres from my home, yet he continues to suffer unknown ill-treatment and we, his wife, his children and his very old parents cannot even see him. They [the government] must act now to bring them back immediately."
 - Amina Masood Janjua, July 2008

The last time Amina Masood Janjua saw her husband, Masood Janjua, was on 30 July 2005 when he left home to meet his friend Faisal Faraz. It is believed that the Pakistani security forces apprehended both men that day while on a bus journey to another city and that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s intelligence agency, has been holding them in secret without charge or trial. The agency has repeatedly denied any knowledge of their whereabouts despite eyewitness testimony as to their detention.

Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz are among hundreds, if not thousands, of victims of enforced disappearance in Pakistan, including children as young as nine and ten years old. Many of them were detained after the attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, their detentions justified in the name of the US-led “war on terror”. The practice, rare before 2001, then spread to activists involved in pushing for greater ethnic or regional rights, including Baloch and Sindhis.

Despite undeniable evidence, the former government of President Pervez Musharraf consistently denied subjecting anyone to enforced disappearances. 

In its report, Denying the undeniable, enforced disappearances in Pakistan, Amnesty International confronted the Pakistani authorities with evidence of how government officials obstructed attempts to trace those who have disappeared, using official court records and affidavits of victims and witnesses of enforced disappearances.

Pakistan’s civilian government in April 2008 pledged to end the policy of denial and to investigate all cases of enforced disappearance and hold those responsible to account.

In April 2008, former Law Minister, Farooq Naik stated that the government was collecting details on of disappeared persons and promised that all would be released.  In May 2008, the Interior Ministry set up another committee to investigate the fate of all persons subjected to enforced disappearances, comprising representatives of the Ministry, parliamentarians and of the families of the disappeared.

To date the government has not revealed the findings of its investigations or any actions it has taken to resolve all enforced disappearance cases.

On 16 March 2009, through an executive order by President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani reinstated Iftikhar Chaudhry as Chief Justice and other judges deposed during the November 2007 state of emergency. Prior to his dismissal, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had taken a tough stance on the cases of enforced disappearances and found against the government in several rulings.  Since his reinstatement, the Supreme Court in November 2009 resumed hearings of disappearance cases. This is a much welcomed step, but the Pakistan government must demonstrate political will to trace the disappeared. 

Take Action : http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/end-enforced-disappearances-pakistan

India: Amnesty International urges India to promptly ratify the Convention against Torture.

Amnesty International urges India to promptly ratify the Convention against Torture and invite the Special Rapporteur on torture to visit India.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
AI Index: ASA 20/034/2012/
24 September 2012

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/034/2012/en/debcb33a-5a70-4b0b-a275-f59eadbe9e09/asa200342012en.html

Bangladesh: Minority communities must be protected and arsonists face justice.

© STR/AFP/GettyImages

The perpetrators of arson attacks on temples and Buddhist villages in the south of Bangladesh must be brought to justice and steps taken to ensure ethnic minorities are protected, Amnesty International said.

More than 20 Buddhist temples and monasteries and at least one Hindu temple, along with scores of homes and shops, were set on fire during attacks in southern cities of Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong over the weekend and on Monday after thousands of people protested against the posting of an allegedly derogatory image of the Quran on social network site Facebook.

“The scale and ferocity of these appalling attacks on ethnic communities have shocked Muslims and non-Muslims alike and the entire civil society in the country. The Bangladeshi authorities must ensure this does not happen again,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Bangladesh researcher.

“Amnesty International calls on the leaders of all political parties to condemn publicly the violence against minorities and urge their members not take part in such acts.”

“Reports that police failed to ensure the protection of minority communities - even though they had received news about imminent attacks – are disturbing, and must be investigated.”

The Deputy Inspector General of Police for Chittagong told Amnesty International on Tuesday an investigation had been launched into allegations that the officer in charge of Ramu police station in Cox’s Bazar had neglected his duty to ensure the safety of minority communities.

He also said that up to 300 people had been arrested.

“The terms of reference for the investigation, called for by the Home Minister, must be made public and strong measures must be put in place to protect Buddhist, Hindu and all other witnesses who give evidence,” Faiz said.

“Those identified as responsible for the attack should be brought to justice in adherence to international fair trial standards and all people affected by the violence must be provided with shelter, and assistance to rebuild their homes and places of worship.”

The attacks are believed to be the first to have taken place on such a large scale against minority places of worship in Bangladesh.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/bangladesh-arsonists-must-face-justice-2012-10-03

Maldives MP Stabbed to Death.

Dr Afrasheem Ali was stabbed to death outside his home in the capital, Malé, early in the morning of Tuesday 1 October. Circumstances around the killing are still unclear, and local authorities have yet to identify a suspect.

The death of Dr Afrasheem Ali, a member of Parliament for the government-aligned Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), comes at a time of political turmoil on the island nation, with former President Mohamad Nasheed set to face trial for his alleged role in the arrest of a judge.

“Amnesty International condemns this shocking act of violence against Dr Afrasheem Ali,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Researcher on the Maldives.

“We call on the Maldives authorities to ensure that the investigation into the killing meets international human rights standards, and that no suspect is ill-treated or tortured.”

“Given the current tense climate in the Maldives, all political actors must show restraint and ensure that this killing does not lead to more violence.”

On 5 September 2012, Amnesty International published The other side of paradise: A human rights crisis in the Maldives , a report documenting human rights violations by security forces against protesters during 2012.

http://amnesty.org.in/about-us/press-releases/news-flash-maldives-mp-stabbed-death-2012-10-02

MALDIVES - Member of Parliament brutally murdered.

MP of the government-aligned Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Dr Afrasheem Ali, was brutally stabbed to death outside his home on Monday night.

http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/44858?fb_action_ids=286622538111213&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582 

http://minivannews.com/politics/ppm-mp-dr-afrasheem-found-brutally-murdered-44721