Statement

Following the letter sent by Ms. Kim Soo A on behalf of the AHRC to the Director General of UNESCO objecting to the appointment an editorial and a letter to the editor have appeared in the Island Newspaper and the AHRC sent its reply today.  We reproduce below the text of our letter.  Please refer […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-269-2006 November 1, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Somchai, Tak Bai, secrets & lies The head of the military junta overseeing the interim government in Thailand, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, on October 31 reportedly said that he has information that the mastermind of the 12 March 2004 disappearance […]

In this morning’s edition of the Sunday Times a news item entitled “Acquitted police officer taking case to the HRC” reported that in the famous case filed by a torture victim in Sri Lanka who complained that he was severely beaten and was spat by a tuberculosis patient on the instructions of a police officer, […]

As the delegates prepare for the Geneva peace talks to be held this weekend (28th and 29th October), the usual practice of trading accusations against each other by the government and the LTTE is happening once again. The government has published statistics of over two thousand deaths alleged to be the result of cease fire […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-266-2006 October 25, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Prime minister ignorant of the Philippines & the south The Bangkok Post of October 24 quoted the interim prime minister of Thailand, General Surayud Chulanont, as saying that he will adopt methods used by the Philippine government to deal […]

In March 2005, the then-army commander in Thailand, General Pravit Wongsuwan, was asked what disciplinary action would be taken against three generals found liable for the death of 84 innocent civilians on 25 October 2004, six outside the Tak Bai District Police Station and 78 in army trucks that transported over one thousand demonstrators and […]

Victor Ivan, a reputed Sri Lankan journalist and author has produced a book entitled ‘Choura Regina – the Rogue Queen’, regarding the former Sri Lankan president, Chandrika Bandaranaike. This book makes very serious allegations against events that occurred during the period of the presidency of Mrs. Bandaranaike.  The series of events revealed in the book […]

WORLD: Eid greetings from  The Asian Human Rights Commission joins with people around the world in celebrating the 1427th Eid Festival at the conclusion of the fasting month of Ramadan. Eid is an important occasion for recognition and appreciation of our common humanity. It is especially a time that we should extend the spirit of […]

In the late afternoon of October 16, a week-long strike by workers at the Bright Sky garment factory in Dangkor district of Phnom Penh, Cambodia led to an open confrontation with management. When the strikers went to request that over ten of their peers be allowed to leave the factory, hundreds of heavily-armed police suddenly […]

An October 17 article in the Bangkok Post reported that the Ministry of Justice there has to pay hundreds of millions of Thai Baht in compensation to people who have been wrongfully prosecuted for crimes they did not commit. The law providing for compensation, the Compensation for Victims of Crime Act BE 2544 (2001), arises […]

Today is the sixth anniversary of the assassination of the well known BBC journalist Mylvaganam Nimalrajan.  It is also two months now since the disappearance of Fr. Jim Brown and his assistant (please refer to UA-280-2006) and during this time large numbers of journalists, social activists, aid workers and many others who were involved in one […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that the accused police officer in the torture case of Palitha Thissa Kumara was acquitted by the judge of the High Court, Kalutara this morning (October 19, 2006).  The judge stated that he is acquitting the accused as the charges have not been proved according to his view.  […]

It is now one month since the armed forces of Thailand under General Sonthi Boonyaratglin took power on September 19. Since that time, the coup group and government officials have been creating a fictional version of what they have done, are doing and will do. To mark this occasion, the Asian Human Rights Commission lists […]

Korala Liyanage Palitha Thissa Kumara’s complaint of torture against a Sub Inspector of Police attached to the Wellipena Police Station received local and international publicity due, among other reasons, to the allegation that the police officer forced a tuberculosis patient to spit into his mouth.  During the trial the tuberculosis patient confirmed the allegations and […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission has already underlined the failures of justice in the conviction of two men accused of the January 2004 murder of Chea Vichea, a famous Cambodian labour union leader. In August 2005 Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were sentenced by the Phnom Penh court to 20 years in prison for […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-255-2006 October 18, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Military junta won’t bring justice to south In the days after the September 19 coup in Thailand there was some expectation that bloodshed in the south may lessen. Like a lot of other things, this has not happened. Reports […]

A senior lawyer who has appeared in many issues of public interest in recent years is now facing the threat of being removed from the roll as a lawyer due to a fundamental rights application he filed raising questions regarding the constitutionality of some issues relating to the judiciary that he pleaded adversely affects his […]

Why are the authorities of the University of Karachi protecting attempted rapists? A July 28 incident, which allegedly involved a number of university staff and members of the Pakistan Rangers stationed on campus, was at first denied outright by the university vice chancellor. After tremendous public pressure, including a series of urgent appeals issued by […]

The European Commission has reported of the visit of a mission of high level experts to be sent by the Co- Chairs to review the current situation of human rights in Sri Lanka and to suggest necessary action before the end of October 2006. The Commission further stated that it believes that this could be […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-251-2006 October 13, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission BANGLADESH: Removing dust is the government’s job The Daily Star newspaper published a report on October 11 citing the outgoing Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Bangladesh, Moudud Ahmed, as claiming that “progress” had been made in separating […]