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South Asia Looses A Voice of Sanity

Pakistan: Asma Jahangir (1952-2018), Secular icon, Feminist, Human Rights Lawyer Passes Away - links to reports, interviews / portraits and tributes

11 February 2018

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Asma Jahangir: Pakistan human rights champion died on sunday 11 February in Lahore, Pakistan

sacw.net - 11 February 2018 [ last update on 27 Feb ]

A Public Event Announcement - Remembering Asma Jahangir (New Delhi, 15 Feb 2018) http://www.sacw.net/article13640.html

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Road side flex in Lahore as hundreds march to attend Asma Jahangir’s funeral prayers at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on 13 Feb.

Thousands of men and women bid farewell to the mighty Asma Jahangir in Lahore. As a sharp lawyer and passionate human rights activist she battled bigotry, misogyny, repression and dictatorship for Pakistanis of all faiths, class and creeds. Good bye, fighter.
Photo via Tweet from Nadeem Paracha
Photo of front cover of the lahore newspaper Daily Times (14 Feb 2018) on Asma Jahangir’s fundral prayer meeting

Funeral bridges religious and ethnic divides by Marvi Sirmed (14 February 2018) https://dailytimes.com.pk/201679/funeral-bridges-religious-ethnic-divides/

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I. News reports from around the world from 11 Feb 2018

PAKISTAN MEDIA:

https://www.geo.tv/latest/181414-human-rights-icon-asma-jahangir-passes-away-in-lahore

Leading human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir passes away in Lahore https://www.dawn.com/news/1388771/asma-jahangir-leading-human-rights-lawyer-passes-away-in-lahore

Human rights icon Asma Jahangir passes away in Lahore https://tribune.com.pk/story/1632167/1/

Eminent lawyer and activist Asma Jahangir passes away https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/279732-eminent-lawyer-and-activist-asma-jahangir-passes-away

Asma the fearless - Editorial in Dawn (February 12, 2018) https://www.dawn.com/news/1388808

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43023082 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43023082

Pakistani leading rights activist, Asma Jehangir, dead at 66 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistani-leading-rights-activist-asma-jehangir-dies-at-66/2018/02/11/891e2e2a-0f16-11e8-a68c-e9374188170e_story.html

Mort d’Asma Jahangir, militante pakistanaise des droits de l’homme http://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2018/02/11/mort-d-asma-jahangir-militante-pakistanaise-des-droits-de-l-homme_5255135_3382.html

Leading Pakistani Rights Activist Asma Jahangir Dies At 66 https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-leading-rights-activist-asma-jahangir-dead-66/29033365.html

REPORTS IN INDIA / SOUTH ASIA:

Pakistan’s iron lady Asma Jehangir passes away http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistans-iron-lady-asma-jehangir-passes-away/article22721342.ece

Asma Jahangir, Champion Of Human Rights, Critic Of Pak Army, Dies At 66 https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/top-pakistani-rights-advocate-asma-jahangir-dies-family-1811316

Threats Did Not Stop Asma Jahangir From Fighting For Rights In Pakistan https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/threats-did-not-stop-asma-jahangir-from-fighting-for-rights-in-pakistan-1811433

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistani-activist-asma-jahangir-dies-of-cardiac-arrest/articleshow/62872038.cms Pakistani activist Asma Jahangir dies of cardiac arrest - PTI | Updated: Feb 11, 2018

Condolences pour in for Asma Jehangir on Twitter http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/condolences-pour-in-for-asma-jehangir-on-twitter/article22722098.ece

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II. STATEMENTS / TRIBUTES:

South Asians For Human Rights

SAHR mourns the passing away of Asma Jahangir

February 11 2018

Press Statements

South Asians for Human Rights ( SAHR), a regional network of human rights defenders, is deeply saddened at the passing away of Asma Jahangir. Asma was a senior advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a founding member of SAHR, and its current Spokesperson and bureau member. As a remarkably vocal human rights advocate, her contribution at regional and global level is immense.

Asma Jahangir was a former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. She held the UN mandate as Special Rapporteur on Extra Judicial Killings from 1998 to 2004 and Freedom of Religion or Belief from 2004 to 2010. At the time of her demise she was a board member of International Crisis Group and UN Special Rapporteur of Human Rights in Iran.

SAHR offers its deepest condolences to Asma’s family at this difficult time. Her sudden demise is a irreplaceable loss not only to SAHR but to her fellow human rights comrades in Pakistan, South Asia and the world.

On behalf of the members of South Asians for Human Rights

Sultana Kamal, Chairperson

Mohamed Latheef, Co-chairperson

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Pakistan: My friend Asma by I A Rehman

A little lawyer from Lahore became the greatest defender of human rights in the subcontinent. What a life to celebrate for a long, long time http://www.sacw.net/article13648.html

The Importance of Being Asma by Mohammed Hanif

For a couple of years, Mohammed Hanif followed Asma Jahangir on her annual fact-finding missions to Balochistan. http://www.sacw.net/article13647.html

Against Deification | Maryam Hussain

Little Big Woman | Najam Sethi (The Friday Times Issue: 16 Feb 2018)

In Memoriam: Asma Jahangir, 1952-2018 by International Crisis Group https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/crisis-group-updates/memoriam-asma-jahangir-1952-2018

Pakistan: Asma Jahangir leaves behind a powerful human rights legacy
- Amnesty International (12 February 2018) https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/02/asma-jahangir-leaves-a-brave-human-rights-legacy

Asma Jahangir obituary by Victoria Schofield (13 February 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/13/asma-jahangir-obituary

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III LINKS TO SOME PAST INTERVIEWS AND PORTRAITS OF ASMA JAHANGIR

Profile: Asma Jahangir: The street fighter https://herald.dawn.com/news/1153540

Who is Asma Jahangir? http://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-asma-jahangir-pakistan-lawyer-human-rights-activists-5059594/

Asma Jahangir Interview by Amitav Ghosh (1997) http://amitavghosh.com/blog/?p=6123

A conversation with Asma Jehangir by Ritu Menon (2001) http://himalmag.com/a-conversation-with-asma-jehangir-interview/

Days of Rage: Challenges for the nation’s future by William Dalrymple
( 2007) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/07/23/days-of-rage

Blood and guts by Declan Walsh https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jul/21/pakistan.declanwalsh

IV SELECT VIDEO RECORDINGS:

25 Oct 2017 - Remarks by Ms. Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, at the 31st meeting of the Third Committee http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/treaty-bodies/watch/asma-jahangir-special-rapporteur-on-human-rights-in-iran-at-the-third-committee-31st-meeting-general-assembly-72nd-session/5621682190001/?term=&sort=popular

Asma Jahangir: Personal Journey to Justice (2016) [Jahangir received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2016]

2014 Right Livelihood Award Laureate Asma Jahangir on defending human rights in Pakistan

2014 Right Livelihood Award Laureate Asma Jahangir on defending human rights in Pakistan from Right Livelihood Award on Vimeo.

Walking Together for Freedom with Asma Jahangir (2012)

Asma Jahangir: "Will Pakistan’s Democracy Survive?" (2009)