OpEd - Heyns, The Final Straw For AFSPA?

Christof Heyns, the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings described India as “a living document … [of] human rights jurisprudence respected worldwide.

Official Secrets Act being amended, secretly

After learning that the government is planning to amend the Official Secrets Act I filed a request under the Right to Information Act with the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking inspection of all papers relating to the amendments proposals.

Not on the bodies of the condemned

Sarabjit Singh is dead. An Indian national has died after being attacked by inmates in a foreign jail that left him in a state of coma.

New Media Law stifles free expression in the Gambia

Legislators in The Gambia recently passed a bill that clamps down on free expression on the internet.

Missing the mark

AFTER a delay of almost two decades and a few false starts, the National Assembly and the Senate have both passed the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Bill, which, at the time of writing, was awaiting presidential assent. It is important that the president not rush into signing it.

Meghalaya Police Accountability Commission: Starting on the Wrong Foot

Shillong, March 22: The newly constituted Police Accountability Commission of Meghalaya not only contravenes existing legal standards but also defies common sense. This body was created as eyewash and given its flawed composition, will probably fail.

Making our secrets public

The Right to Information Act (RTIA), which turns seven tomorrow, is a remarkable piece of legislation. It is lauded regularly at the international level where India has to frequently deflect attacks on its human rights records, un-progressive voting patterns and appalling social indicators.

Long, long rope for Lanka

The Commonwealth secretariat recently confirmed that Colombo will be the venue for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due to happen at the end of 2013.

Let's regulate police powers to use guns

Police reforms have been in the spotlight in the last few months. News items and reports have stressed the dire need for the fast and effective implementation of the police reforms, particularly in relation to reducing police shootings and torture.

J & K Needs Immediate Police Reforms - Problems in policing arise from uncertain delineation of powers and political interference

The debate around police reform for years has revolved around on how to satisfactorily separate police functioning from undue and illegitimate political control and yet keep the police wholly accountable to civilian authority.