Statement

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) was happy to note that a new person has been appointed to the position of the Attorney General in Indonesia. This comes as a sigh of relief for the victims and the families of victims of gross human rights violations, and for the wider humanitarian community, who have long […]

There have been further developments concerning the death of prominent human rights lawyer Munir Said Thalib on board a flight of Indonesia’s national carrier on September 7, 2004. Munir died of arsenic poisoning aboard a Garuda Indonesia Airways flight destined for Amsterdam. It is believed that he was assassinated due to his work in favour […]

With the conclusion of the legislative and local elections in the Philippines on May 14, the extent of deaths, violence and corrupt practices that have occurred during this electoral exercise is extremely appalling. This violent exhibition of democracy has cast serious questions upon the capability of the government, in particular the Philippine National Police (PNP), […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AS-100-2007 May 13, 2007 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns violence unleashed by the military regime leading to killing of 30 persons in Pakistan The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the violence unleashed on peaceful protestors by the military dictator in Karachi, […]

As the movement to defend the suspended Chief Justice and the independence of the judiciary in Pakistan has gathered momentum in all part of the country as demonstrated by mammoth crowds congregating to greet him in the streets, the military regime has begun to use violent tactics to suppress this movement. An organised attempt is […]

In 2005, the Phnom Penh Court convicted and sentenced two men — Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun — to 20 years in prison for the murder of renowned labour union leader Chea Vichea in 2004. In April 2007, the Court of Appeals upheld their sentences. Both judgments have been severely criticised as they were […]

On May 5, 2007, a man told the media how he had been brutally tortured as part of a police investigation inside Camp Rafael Crame in Quezon City, the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Ricardo Ayeras alleged that he was beaten, kicked, electrocuted and was deprived of sleep, according to a report […]

Mr. I. G. Pushpakumara (30) a navy officer said to be assigned to VIP security who was on home leave was beaten to death by a mob who believed that he was trying to escape after committing the theft of a mobile phone. When a crowd chased this navy officer, as some people shouted ‘thief’ […]

The Supreme Court of Pakistan made an order yesterday (May 7) suspending the judicial panel hearing into the accusation made by the military regime against the country’s suspended Chief Justice Mr. Iftekhar Chaudhary, pending a decision on a challenge to the panel filed on his behalf. The Chief Justice has challenged the decision of the […]

As the country’s prosecution service has long been confronted by the overloading of cases, as well as insufficient resources and manpower, the police commission and justice department have decided to give powers to the Chiefs of Police (CoPs) to act as prosecutors. Under this system, the CoPs are required to first secure permission from any […]

AS-093-2007 May 3, 2007 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission CAMBODIA: Dysfunctional criminal justice system has led to unfair trials and impunity for the mastermind behind Chea Vichea’s murder In August 2005, the Phnom Penh Court convicted and sentenced two men — Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun — to 20 years in […]

As the campaign period is ongoing and elections will be held on May 14 there is also an increasingly alarming trend of election-related violence. Targeted killings and ambushes of sectoral and local candidates, either a result of fierce political rivalry or threats, had since been taking place–a cycle of violence that has become a subconsciously […]

The government of Punjab province, no doubt through the instructions of the government of the military regime of General Musharaff, is using some flimsy excuses to thwart the traveling arrangements of the Chief Justice Mr. Iftikhar Chaudhry.  Mr. Chaudry is planning to travel by road from Rawalpindi to Lahore city, a distance of 260 kilometers, […]

In the latest move against the supporters of Chief Justice Iftehkar Chaudry a Supreme Court lawyer, Mr. Ali Ahmed Kurd has been detained by the Quetta police at the district court. The detention comes after several attempts by unknown persons to abduct him failed. However, this effort by the government was aborted by the lawyers […]

A legal professional is not above the law. A solicitor in Hong Kong was sentenced to imprisonment recently. It was alleged that the solicitor’s client who had lodged a complaint about a stockbroker had been persuaded by the solicitor to withdraw the charges as the solicitor was allegedly involved with the stockbroker. A rather similar […]

Shocking details are emerging about the manner in which the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudry, was requested to resign from his post, and how when he refused he was physically restrained form leaving the President’s Camp Office for several hours and finally as to how a reference was cooked up and filed in order to prevent […]

The government has recently announced that police powers will be granted to the military by way of further emergency regulations. When the BBC Sinhala Service questioned the government spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukawella, as to whether the giving of police powers to the military will not result in the re-emergence of torture chambers inside military camps […]

In the midst of the judicial crisis the government has opened yet another front in the hopes of exercising damage control in an attack on a television station that has been airing open discussions on the latest developments with regard to the political situation and also the judicial crisis. For the past several weeks the […]

Over two and a half years have passed since Kietisak Thitboonkrong was found tortured to death and dumped in a rural area of northeastern Thailand. Investigations by the National Human Rights Commission and others have pointed the finger of guilt straight at the Kalasin district police, in whose custody he was last seen a few […]

The grave problems regarding the lack of credible investigations into human rights violations in Sri Lanka continues as the government makes threats to expel foreign diplomats who call for such inquiries as persons meddling in the internal affairs of the country. Whether the government itself has caused such violations is not the issue. The key […]